Fractured Souls
by Shinigami's Ange1
Summary: 1x2 Two souls. One destiny. On opposite sides of a 4000 year old blood war between humans and vampires, hunter Duo Maxwell & scribe Heero Yuy join forces to unravel the dark truth about a lost prophecy claiming Duo can end their curse, but at what cost?
1. The Eternal Flame

**_Disclaimer: _**All rights and privileges to Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing are trademarks and property of Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties. All rights and privileges to Blade are trademarks and property of Marvel, New Line Cinemas, and associated parties. The characters of these works are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.

_**Summary:**_ Duo Maxwell has spent the last sixteen years of his life hunting vampires. They've murdered everyone he has ever loved and his hatred for them runs deeper than even he himself seems to realize. Haunted by the death of someone he's never seen and strange voices that call out to him in his nightmares, Duo outwardly struggles with the expectations of a secret society that believes he is the key to destroying the vampire race. When a mysterious stranger's desperate search for the truth takes them both to the ends of the earth, the two of them soon discover the answer is more unthinkable than either of them could ever imagine. Just who is Heero Yuy?

**_Author's Note:_** This story is going to be long. So, if you are here looking for a quick "Duo and Heero meet each other and fall madly in love and have sex every other chapter" fic, then you're in the wrong place. Sorry. A good story takes time and it's worth it...This chapter is kinda the open action teaser.

**_Warning: _**Shouen-ai, eventually yaoi (1x2x1, hinted 3+4), blood, cursing and heavy religious tones. Rating reflects later content.

,.•´)•(•.¸ -- Scene change

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯) -- Unconscious / Dream sequence

_Italics_ -- Past events

_'Italics'_ -- Inner thoughts

,.•´)•(•.¸

Why do we love? What creates this feeling? It comes in many forms - the love of places, things, ideas, times, sounds, colors, people. You don't know exactly why these things are important to you, they just are. Things, you feel like you remember from some other place - some other time. _How_ do you explain it? Some call it our personality, random effects built into our bodies that lack proper explanation. Others say it's the soul, reaching out to things it has encountered in the past, that it tends to hang on to through various lifetimes, while searching for its soulmate - one soul, fractured in half, longing to become one again. This fated meeting can often times be similar to the collision of matter and antimatter, producing a violent explosion that tries to drive them apart. But only those who fight for one another, to _love_ one another, will achieve the ultimate goal of being reunited as one, together in Heaven.

,.•´)•(•.¸

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _The Eternal Flame _¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

**London: 2005**

It was a cool, brisk autumn evening. The sky was still orange where the sun had just set, illuminating the rooftops of the city in a heavenly golden bath of dying light. Stars shone palely above the horizon; the night was eager to come to life. Duo Maxwell put his right boot on the roof's ledge and leaned over for a closer look. The vampires weren't out yet, but it's never long after the sun goes down. Duo, cladded in black, the clothing of the Hunters, blended in perfectly with the night. He straightened up, pulled his hood over his head and pulled the ninja mask up over his mouth, covering everything on his face but his eyes, which were an unnatural shade of vivid violet. His extremely long hair was a subtle reddish brown color that constantly remained braided down his back. He loved his hair long, but it interfered with missions if it wasn't pulled back.

Hunters, highly trained in hand-to-hand combat, carried standard-issue silver stakes. Most also carried a variety of automatic weaponry with silver ammunition, to keep up with modernized times. As the technology changed over the millenniums, so did the methods of slaying the vampires. Duo, not one for conformities (or authority for that matter) carried two short handle scythes, appropriate for someone eager to deal out death to the creatures of darkness. It was not as though he never tried using what he was suppose to use; he could. The scythes, for Duo, held a familiar sentimentality he could not quite put his finger on. The sky was a deep blue now. Street lamps blinked to life along the street below, casting eerie yellow-white spills of light on the blotchy weathered sidewalk. Duo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp and soothing night air then slowly exhaled. Concentrating, he allowed his senses to flare out. Suddenly, he caught a faint glimpse of dark power.

Duo grinned wickedly, "Showtime."

The hunter slipped down the fire escape without making a sound. He lightly landed on the pavement and glided out of the alley against the shadows. People walking along the sidewalk took no notice of as he stood propped against the alleywall, watching the bystanders pass. He peered over the street from the alleyway, his amethyst eyes keen on the two male vampires lurking in the alley across the street. They stayed close to the entrance way to the alley preventing Duo from sneaking up on them unseen; his favorite part. Little did they know, this night would be their last. The taller vampire punched the other in the arm, then pointed at something down the sidewalk. Duo did not have to wait long to see what the vampires were looking at. A young woman was walking towards them. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her gaze was fixed firmly on the sidewalk below; clearly following a familiar path to a well traveled destination. She reached the narrow alleyway entrance and did not stand a chance as they overpowered her, dragging her into the darkness.

_'That's my cue.'_

Duo ran across the street and cut sharply left into the alley. The vampires had the girl cornered and held off the ground by her throat. The vampire holding her leaned in close, inhaling her fresh scent. The woman's hands were prying desperately at the hand over her throat, trying to get loose. "Don't hurt me, please!" she pleaded in a raspy voice, "I'll give you whatever you want! Just, please! Let me go! Please!"

The other vampire let out an amused chuckle. The vampire holding her laughed as well. "I'm afraid," he said smoothly in a dark seductive tone, "it's you I want." He bared his fangs for her to see. As her eyes widened in horror she opened her mouth to scream, but it caught in her throat as the vampire dropped her to the cold pavement and covered her mouth with his hand. "No one's going to hear you babe," he ran his hand through her blonde hair brushing it off her neck, "no one cares."

Duo leaned against the brick wall, his arms were crossed and his head was down slightly, shadowing his face. "You know..." said Duo mockingly, "I wouldn't be doing that if I were you."

Startled, the vampire pulled away from the woman. The other vampire squinted to get a better look at who picked a bad day to play "hero". The streetlight behind Duo casted him in complete darkness. The vampires could only see a slender figure with long hair. "Should have minded your business girl," the vampire replied firmly, "then against, maybe you'd like to join us. I always save room for desert." Duo looked up at the vampire who was advancing towards him steadily - apparently unafraid. Duo pushed himself off the wall, clenching his fist, his knuckles turning white. He hated vampires as much as he hated being called a girl.

Duo stepped into the center of the alleyway, facing the two vampires. The approaching vampire stopped within five feet of Duo. His undead smile melted off his face and was replaced by a look of mild curiosity. He had expected the figure to run instead of to turn face him. "I'm no girl," Duo spat, "so I won't be joining you, but you and your friend will be joining this!"

Duo bent his legs and leaned over, throwing his cloak to his side exposing his scythes. Crossing his arms above his head, Duo grabbed the two handles and whipped out his weapons from their sheaths on his back. He twisted his right wrist, causing the blade to drop towards the ground. Gripping his right scythe firmly, Duo sprung forward and cut the vampire in half from groin to neck.

The vampire's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. With one more smooth twirl, Duo cut his head clean off his neck using the other scythe. The three pieces crumpled ungracefully to the ground and exploded into ash.

The other vampire snarled and released his hold on the girl. "Hunter," he hissed, disgust dripping in his voice like the name was poisonous.

_'You know what you just might be right.'_

Duo gave a cocky smirk, "Prey." He stopped grinning at the vampire to look over at the girl who was sitting very still on the pavement aghast with her mouth hung open. "What the hell are you waiting for lady!" Duo yelled at her, making her jump, "Go on and get the hell out of here!"

_'Why do they always stay and stare!'_

She pushed herself off the ground and sprinted towards the sidewalk not looking at either one of them. In the half second Duo turned to glance at her as she passed him, the vampire took the opportunity to knock him to the ground. Duo hit the pavement hard into a puddle, the impact throwing his scythes out of his hands. The vampire charged at Duo with his arms outstretched. Duo instinctively raised his legs up and used them to throw the vampire over his head and into the brick wall of the building. Duo arched his back and jumped to his feet. Recovering quickly, the vampire was up at the same time as Duo.

The vampire rushed Duo trying desperately to get the upper hand in the fight. The vampire swung his right arm hard, attempting to impinge the left side of Duo's face. The hunter leaned back, successfully evading the poorly thrown punch. Duo crouched down and kicked the vampire hard in the stomach, knocking him into a dumpster and then onto the ground. There was just enough time for Duo to grab one of his scythes. Before he could turn around, the vampire rammed Duo hard in the back and grabbed him just beneath the shoulders, pinning his arms to his side.

Duo leaned forward slightly and pushed backwards hard; cracking the vampire's head into the brick wall. The vampire released his grip on him. He sidestepped out of the way and turned around to see the vampire fall face first into the pavement. Duo walked over to his side, slide his foot under the body and kick him over onto his back. The vampire gazed around disoriented, pulling his left arm around to the back of his head, groaning in pain. Duo put his left foot hard on the vampire's chest to keep him down, then plunged the right scythe through his heart. There was a half second when the vampire looked surprised right before he exploded into ash, filling the air with a grayish-yellow cloud.

It was times like this that Duo was glad he wore a mask. A quart of vampire dust in the lungs every night couldn't be good for one's health. He brushed the vampire dust off his shirt, pulled the mask down and leaned against the brick wall. People continued walking by the alley totally oblivious to what just happened. He glanced up at the now blue-black sky above. The night was still young. He decided he would hit a club. Vampires are always attracted to the sexual heat in clubs. The feeding is always more enjoyable when sex is involved. He spun on his heel, walked forward and turned left out of the alley.

After several hours and several more encounters with -unfortunate for them- vampires, Duo had already passed several clubs; none of which sparked his interest. Finally, he arrived at one that he felt had enough dark aura around it. The club was an old brick building he had never seen before with dingy bricks that made it appear abandoned. There was a single black metal door facing the street. Above the door was a red neon sign that read "The Eternal Flame". He approached the door and the bouncer stepped in front of him. Duo got a strong whiff of him; a vampire.

"Sorry kid, can't let you in," he said, crossing his arms in a poor attempt to look more intimidating.

"Oh," replied Duo with a satisfied smirk, "I think you will." The vampire looked into Duo's eyes that had started to glow a radiant shade of violet.

"I see what you mean," the bouncer said in a dull, lifeless tone, "My mistake, go on in."

Duo was not what one would call your "average" hunter. He had an unexplained power over the weak minded vampires, mostly those vampires that had been turned, in other words, not pure blooded vampires. Pure blooded vampires were those born from the original vampires, a "pure" bloodline, born with the curse, born into darkness. However, he could get into the mind of a turned vampire. Duo could manipulate their thoughts, making them do things against their will. His power, however, was limited. If Duo used it all the time then he would exhaust all his strength.

There were plenty of hunters who practiced a fair bit of magic but without a good bit of power behind it, the magic was virtually useless against most vampires. Duo's abilities were - to say the least - different. Many hunters thought Duo was the key to finally defeating the vampires. There were others, however, who believed he was dangerous and should not be trusted. Most hunters worked together, but Duo was mostly alone and that's just how he liked it. He had been alone most of his life and was use to it. Duo never allowed anyone to get too close to him, because they would end up dead; they always end up dead...

"I knew you'd see it my way," Duo said smoothly, walking past him to the door.

Duo opened the door and stepped inside just as a hooded and cloaked figure emerged from the shadows of the alleyway across the street. "There he is!" the figure whispered breathlessly. The door had just closed behind Duo just as the figure began crossing the street. Duo had just started descending down the wine colored velour stairs when he could already hear the loud thudding of bass thick in the air. The walls were lined in crushed, dark velvet as well. Duo reached his fingertips out to run them along the wall as he walked down the stairs when he touched something slimy and instantly regretted the idea. "Erg, disgusting!" Duo muttered, wiping the fingers off on his cloak.

_'Note to self: do laundry when you get home.'_

Duo reached the end of the stairs and came to a pair of solid mahogany panels with the words "Welcome to Hell" engraved rather rough looking across the top of the frame.

Duo gave an inward smirk.

_'Sounds like my kind of place.' _

He glanced down at the door's panels, an intricate design masked a key element to the doors most would overlook: hieroglyphics.

_'A vampire club. Perfect.' _

Duo reached out his finger and traced the ancient symbols as he read.

Duo's eyes widened as he came to the symbol he was looking for,"Treize," he hissed softly.

_'I didn't know he had a club here in town. I wonder if everyone else knows.'_

Treize was one of the old vampires; one of the twelve that were first. He was very powerful; any hunter who came across him never lived to tell the tale. For centuries the hunters have searched for a way to kill him. He lives in Egypt; the origin of their curse. The history of how the vampires came to be cursed has long been lost. For thousands of years the hunters have balanced the ratio of vampires to humans. However, the tide has slowly been turning against the hunters; their numbers dwindling for quite some time now.

Vampires had their claws into everything: banks, the government - name it. Most people worked for them without even knowing it. Living for centuries, unaware to the fact that the vampires secretly controlled almost everything. Anyone close to the truth is turned or killed. Their one advantage was that the humans vastly out numbered vampires, an army could easily wipe most of them out. Unfortunately, no one could go to the government. No one knew who was working for the humans and who was working for the vampires. Vampires prized themselves in running the night life. Many purebloods owned clubs for the sole purpose of keeping vampires out of the human eye. As a human, to stumble upon a vampire club meant one seriously bad night ahead.

Duo made his way through the heavy doors. The music was instantly louder. Red strobe lights pounded to the beat of the bass. Duo glanced around quickly, getting the layout of the club. The main room was very large, divided into two distinct sections by a bar in the middle. One side sported plush, dark red velvet couches along black walls with projections of moving flames on them. Small cherry wood tables with matching chairs were scattered throughout the middle of the section. The other side boisted an enormous dance floor. There were many doorways along the back wall; instead of actual doors they were covered with black velour curtains.

It was definitely one of the nicest vampires clubs Duo had been in.

_'They sure know how to do it right in Europe.'_

Duo turned his attention to the bar.

Duo could see that most - probably all - of the vampires in the club were turned. Pureblood vampires were easy to spot by the hieroglyphic embedded on their neck, signifying which tribe they belonged to, a sort of genetic marker. There were twelve tribes in all which made up all pureblooded vampires: The House of Erebus. You will rarely find a turned vampire brave enough to pose as a pureblooded one; oh no. Pureblooded vampires not only hated turned vampires, but they all knew one another; if they found a turned vampire posing as one of them - well let's just say being killed would be the least of their worries.

Duo walked through the crowd and heartily approached the bar. No one seemed to think twice about his appearance. None of them, evidently, had ever encountered a hunter before. Most turned vampires usually lacked the proper fighting skill to survive an encounter with a hunter, so it comes as no surprise that none of them were yelling, "Hunter!" then running for cover. They probably just regarded him as one of those cooky vampires that had seen way too many horror movies, trying a little too hard to dress the part. Duo reached the end of the bar, grabbed a stool and rapped his knuckles on the table.

"What can I get you, honey?" asked the bartender in her sultry voice. She was dressed in some of the tightest red leather ever made; her breasts practically spilling out of her top. Her hair was black, falling just past her shoulders. Her crystal blue eyes widened as they met his and traveled down, taking in his odd club attire.

"JD on the rocks." Duo replied simply and turned to look at the mass of vampires on the dance floor, looking here and there for any other hunters.

"Here you go," said the bartender, sliding him a short glass of amber colored liquid, "anything else I can _do_ for you?" She leaned forward on the table, crossing her arms and causing her breasts to be pushed - if possible - closer together. Duo had his head down, looking at his drink. Vampires always want either two things from you: a meal or sex. Since Duo didn't give off the aura or visage of a human she thought he was a vampire; which meant she wanted sex. He looked up at her breasts and caught her eye before throwing down two pounds and replying dismissively, "I'll pass." She stood up straight, pouting just slightly, "That's too bad," she replied smoothly and walked down to the other end of the bar towards a fairly drunk male vampire, yelling for another round. Duo shook his head just slightly. Vampires were always so predictable.

He picked up his glass and absentmindedly swirled the liquid around, watching the ice cubes overlap and bump into one another. He raised the glass to his lips to take a sip when he felt a strange presence around him, hitting him like cold water. The little bit of liquid he took into his mouth was slopped onto his lap. He wiped his chin off and leered around frantically for anyone suspicious.

_'What the hell was that? It felt so..so..' _

Duo's mind sought for the proper word to describe the feeling.

_'Familiar.'_

Duo carefully finished his drink while stealing occasional glances out of the corner of his eye for anything unusual looking. Duo placed his empty glass on the bar. He pulled his arm up leaned his forehead on it, considering briefly that he may had been imagining the whole thing. Unconsciously, he ran his hand through his bangs, a bad habit of his when he was thinking hard about something. He turned his attention to the dance floor. He stared at the crowd for a moment before getting off his stool and making his way toward the sea of moving bodies.

Duo loved clubs and the human nightlife. He had, more than once, skived off a night of hunting to enjoy a good club or two. Duo was addicted to the unspoken seduction associated with dancing with someone. There was just something about just letting your body go to the music. But this was a vampire club, and there was business to be taken care of.

Duo moved against the people around the dance floor. The musty smell of sweat was thick in the air. Bodies were banging together against the music. Frankly, it smelt like sex. There were several vampires necking (quite literally) on the dance floor. Duo eyed them with disgust. He turned, his eyes focused on an unfortunate scene at the corner of the dance floor. There was a young guy dancing unknowingly with two female vampires. They were laughing and grinding up on him. As the song died the three of them made their way off the dance floor and into a back room.

Duo waited for a moment and proceeded to follow them into the back. He was half way across the dance floor when someone passing him bumped into his shoulder hard. Instantly, strange images flashed through his head: he was watching someone bathe in a pool of water surrounded by sand...the scene shifted and he was standing in a dark hallway with sand-colored stones walking towards a dimly lit chamber...a pair of yellow glowing eyes fading into darkness...now he was holding a limp body in his arms...he looked down blood was covering his hands. Duo's mind jerked painfully out of the images and into the nightclub. The room was swirling and he felt like he was about to pass out. He took an unsteady breath and turned around hesitantly to look at the back of the person who bumped into him. The person was wearing a brown cloak with the hood up, so as Duo could not even tell whether they were male or female - or anything else for that matter.

_'What the fuck is happening to me tonight! Get it together Duo.'_

He continued to look at the back of the hood of the person until they were through the doors and out of sight. Just then, someone rammed him in the back, pushing him forward into yet another vampire. "Watch where the fuck you're going!" yelled the angry vampire, turning around. Duo shot him an icy look of incontestable hatred. "Look man sorry," replied the vampire with a noticeable inflection in his once virile tone. The vampire turned around quickly and continued dancing. Duo looked away from him and back towards the club entrance. Something wasn't right here.

_'Oh shit. I almost forgot about the human.'_

Duo turned around quickly and forced his way through the bodies; knocking people hard into one another without care. Leaving behind a flood of cursing, he made his way to the closest doorway. Duo pushed the black velour curtain aside, revealing a hallway with half a dozen doorways with heavy, red curtains. He grabbed the edge of the first curtain on the right and pulled it aside just enough to see inside the room. A few candles sat burning along the walls, otherwise revealing an empty room. Duo shut the curtain back and went on to the next doorway.

Just beyond the curtain Duo could hear giggling. He pulled the curtain back and realized he was too late. They weren't planning to drain him; they were going to turn him. The guy's eyes were closed and he was licking blood off the taller vampire's neck. Duo ripped the curtains open, grasped for one of his scythes and threw it through the vampire's heart turning her immediately to ash. The guy fell forward into her pile of ashes with a dazed look on his face.

The other vampire hissed, "Hunter".

"That's right babe," Duo chuckled, "Tonight is definitely not your lucky night."

"We'll see!" she shouted as she ran at Duo head on.

_'Why the hell don't they just try to run away!? Plead for their life? Something! But no...they always try and fight. Dumb asses.'_

Duo grabbed his other scythe and cut her clean in half across her chest before she even knew what happened. The room was now filled with a suffocating cloud of ash. Duo coughed and waved his hand in front of his face, clearing himself a patch of clean air to breath. "Geez, I'm filthy tonight," Duo told himself quietly, attempting to brush the ash off his, still damp, clothing, causing it to smear in disgusting grayish-yellow streaks.

Walking over to pick up his other scythe, he stopped to look at the guy, laying ungracefully on the ground. Duo knew immediately he had started the change when he started thrashing about, yelling in pain. The boy rolled back and forth, clenching his stomach and sweating profusely.

The boy grabbed Duo's pant leg and pulled himself to his knees, his eyes darting swiftly back and forth across the room. "What happened! Where am I!" he pleaded hysterically.

Duo wretched his leg away from the boy's grip. "Man, you picked the wrong club tonight," he replied matter-of-factly, shaking his head.

Shaking, The boy stood up and leaned over, still clutching his stomach. "Aahhh!" he yelled in pain, "What the fuck's wrong with me!"

Duo took a small step forward. Gripping his scythe firmly, he smiled sadly. "Sorry kid, but the only comfort I can offer you is this." He raised his scythe and stabbed him in the chest, turning him to ash.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," Duo grimly sung as he put his scythes back in their sheaths. He gave the ashes on the floor a final glance then turned around, pushed the curtains aside and left the room.

Duo did not have a watch, but guessed it had to be about five in morning by now.

_'I better make this night worth it.'_

Duo pushed the curtains aside forcefully and reentered the main part of the club with a maniacal grin on his face. Immediately, he noticed the dance floor was far less crowded. The vampires were winding down and staring to head to their homes or safe houses. He whipped out a couple of explosives and headed over to the bar. A couple of patrons at the bar realized what he was about to do and ran out without paying. "Hey! You guys didn't pay," yelled the bartender at the people running frantically out the door.

Duo lit the fuses and chunked several cylinders into the bottles of alcohol. The bartender screamed as some of the bottles broke and the sparks from the explosives caught the liquid on fire. Duo had already ran through the mahogany doors and was on his way up the stairs by the time everyone else realized what had just happened and started heading for the doors in a panic. Duo grabbed the doorknob and turned. Using his shoulder, the hunter rammed the door. It flew open, forcing the bouncer face first into the street's cold pavement.

Duo flashed a deadly glare at the bouncer and threw a scythe right dead into his heart. People walking by screamed and ran. Duo quickly turned and used his body to brace the door shut.

He wasn't a moment too soon as the bodies trapped inside hit the door with great force, trying to escape the flames. He fumbled in his pocket for a second. A victorious smile spread across his face as he took out a small lighter shaped object with a knife looking piece of metal protruding from the side and jammed it into the lock, heating it up instantly and melting it shut from the inside.

Just then, he felt the explosion and jumped aside just in time as flames flew out from beneath the door. Within a moment all the screaming had stopped as ash began to pour from underneath the door. Duo leaned his back against the brick wall and bent over to put his hands on his knees, letting out a heavy sign. He stole a glance upward at the horizon. Pale green lined the edges, warning the approach of dawn.

_'Time to head back.' _

Duo reluctantly straightened up, pushed himself forward, walked to the middle of the road and picked his scythe up from the pile of ashes. He slid it back in its sheath, dusted his hand off on his cloak, walked back to the sidewalk and headed down the street.

A cloaked figure from the alley behind the club stepped onto the sidewalk and watched Duo stop on the corner.

Duo picked up the pay phone's receiver and dialed 999. A voice picked up on the other end, "Please state your emergency."

"Send a firetruck to the corner of Old Compton and Dean. The Eternal Flame is on fire." Duo declared calmly as he slammed the worn receiver on its dirty hook. Tired, he turned the corner on Dean Street and headed back home.

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ ¸.•´¯•..•´¯•.¸ ¸.•´¯•. .•´¯•.¸ ¸.•´¯•..,.:¯)

999 is England's version of 911. I had to say that because I live in the US. I wasn't sure if England had the same set up as the US and was about to put 911, but then decided to look it up to be sure and I'm glad I did. (Breathes a sigh of relief) For a minute there I almost looked like an idiot. This fic is by no means a short one. Chapters are generally posted about a month apart. If you're a true 1x2 fan hang in there, it's going to be a bit.

Thanks for reading and remember to review!

'Points to review button' Thank ye!


	2. The Order of Phytoran

**_Author's Note:_** This is primarily an information chapter about the secret organization Duo is involved in and the terrible events that brought him there. No Heero yet, but all good things in time... Visit www (dot) geocities (dot) com (backslash) shinigamiange1 for my fanart.

**_"Fractured Souls"_**

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _The Order of Phytoran_¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Duo stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way home. The horizon was turning lavender above the approaching dawn. Duo replayed the events from the club over in his mind. Nothing like that had ever happened to him before and he felt a little unnerved by the little "vision trip" he experienced. Duo frozen in his spot; he felt he was being followed. He quickly turned around only to see a couple of newspaper pages being blown down the street by the wind.

_'I''m just being paranoid_.' He told himself hastily. _'I'm tired. I just need some sleep, that's all.'_

By now all the vampires were heading to underground safe houses, away from the sunlight. All hunters knew sunlight was the most effective way to kill most vampires. However, silver through the heart, fire and decapitation all did the job just nicely. Thousands of years ago, the hunters would operate during the day, finding nests and exterminating them one by one. The problem with the method was evident after the start of its use. Regrettably, vampires do not keep large numbers during the day. Before long it became apparent that hunting would have to be done solely at night, where they instinctively gathered in large group just like any other pests.

Duo dragged his feet lethargicaly, staring blankly at the ground. He did not want to go back today. He seriously contemplated blowing off going back and simply getting some random motel room instead. He glanced down at his sordid clothing and remembered just how dirty he was.

_'No, I gotta go back.'_

More likely than not, he would have to face the consequences of his actions last night. He knowingly broke a lot of the code. The Hunters Code: don't be seen, blah, blah, blah - don't become emotionally involved with a vampire, yada yada - sever all ties to the rest of humanity, etc, etc. Duo thought most of it was just plain stupid. but knew the Order did not like hunters with that sort of attitude. Then again, Duo Maxwell never cared much about what _they_ thought anyway.

Hunters always worked in secrecy. The pureblooded vampires, of course, knew all about the hunters. And how could they not? A bunch of people, dressed exactly the same way, killing them; it did not take a genius to figure it out. Neither hunters nor vampires tried to call attention to themselves. Nevertheless, Duo knew there was a strong possibility his exploits would make the morning news. He turned the corner onto Great Russell Street towards the London headquarters of the Order of Phytoran, the British Museum.

The Order of Phytoran has existed for over four thousand years. The first hunter, Veti Phytoran, had his entire family slaughtered by vampires. On a personal vendetta, he created the Order to kill the vampires and protect humanity from suffering the same fate as his family. Using a mixture of ancient and modern technology, the Order has tens of thousands of mages and hunters working all over the world in different clans. Duo had been sent here from the clan in New York City. The Order's oracles (the sanction of the order that Duo hated in every way) had foreseen great evil rising in the area. The Council, which governed over all aspects of the Order of Phytoran, transferred several of its strongest hunters and mages from each of its clans to London, six months ago.

With an uncharted flourish of vampire activity for months, the inevitable great war between humans and vampires seemed to be upon them. Currently, the population of the vampire nation was at an all time high. Throughout history, the vampire nation was relatively small - compared to the humans - that is, until the twentieth century. Upon the turn of the twentieth century, they could now travel great distances in short amounts of time as a result of the significant advances in transportation. Now, they inhabited nearly every part of the world.

Movies, comic books, and novels detailing vampire folklore resulted in a decrease their activity in the early to mid 1900s. It was only around the 1970s when everything really started happening for the them. More people gathered at night, participating in clubs and other darker pleasures of the night. In the 1990s gothic styles became more mainstream resulting in a record recrudescence of vampires because of their increased ability to blend in with the extreme style. There was a small dip again in the later 1990s when New Line Home Entertainment studios released the movie "Blade". The movie contained a closely accurate portrayal of the twelve tribes in the Houses of Erebus. The movie caused a huge uprising in the upper ranks of vampires who ran the very much real House of Erebus. The writer of the movie had gotten House of Erebus concept from a friend of a friend of his (that's always how the story goes). The writer had no idea his friend's friend let out actual sacred information about the vampire nation. The vampire who gave out the information, Aru Zarme, was tracked down and killed by Trieze himself. Trieze leads the Pallintine tribe, the wealthiest in the House of Erebus.

Although, many problems would be solved by focusing on an attack on their tribe, the Order always focused on the ones that caused the most deaths. So right now, everyone in London was more occupied with the Upier tribe. They were particularly dangerous because they could hone their lethal skills at an early age. Over the past year, they had become a major problem in the downtown area.

Duo walked to the east side of the building just as the sun rose, casting his silhouette in dark shadow against the bright orange glow. He put his thumb on a small panel on the wall. The message, "Access Granted: Hunter Duo Maxwell - New York Clan" appeared. The wall slide to the side, revealing a dimly lit vestibule. As soon as he entered, the wall quickly slide behind him. A security camera followed him as he walked to the silver plated door across the small passage. On the wall above the door was the inscription:

"The Order of Phytoran"

"_Praeses Aetas_"

He again pressed his thumb onto a small plate on the wall. The door whoosed open; the sudden change in pressure caused Duo's ears to pop. Duo stuck his fingers in his ears to try and reestablish the equilibrium.

_'I hate that damn door.'_

Duo preceded down the tight stone stairway to the hall below, stumbling on the occasional stair. He reached the end, passed through a couple of corridors, and headed straight for the dining hall. It was full of hunters, recounting their best performances of the night. As tired as he was, he had to have something to eat. He was practically starving. The delicious smell of food reached his nostrils, causing his mouth to water in anticipation. There was nothing like a good hot breakfast after a long night's work. He decided he'd eat quick so he could hurry up and take a nice hot shower to get the awful stinch of the club off him.

Duo grabbed the biggest plate available and loaded up on pancakes, muffins and sausage. With a muffin in his mouth, he walked across the hall and spotted a table with Trowa Barton, one of his fellow transfers from America. Trowa came from the Los Angeles Clan, where Duo was originally from.

Duo tossed his tray on the table in a loud clatter, spit out the muffin, pushed his fatigue aside and smiled brightly, "Good morning Trowa!"

Trowa slowly looked up skeptically, "What are you so happy about?" he asked.

"Are you kiddin' me!" Duo boasted loudly, "Time to eat and go to sleep! I don't know about you but that's the best part of _my_ day."

"Well enjoy yourself, because you won't be so happy when I tell you this." Trowa replied.

"And whafs dat?" Duo asked through a mouthful of syrup and pancakes.

"There was a report on the news this morning that said an vigilante arsonist set fire to a club on Old Compton Street. Interviewed witnesses said they saw a girl wearing a some sort of cape, with extremely long hair, lock the door, trapping screaming people inside," Trowa paused briefly to enjoy the sight of Duo, fuming at being called a girl (yet again). "Right now, they are just calling it an arson. They said there will be an ongoing investigation, because the police did not find any victims." Trowa added amusingly, taking a sip of his tea.

Duo pounded his fist loudly on the table, causing several hunters to turn their heads. "Why the hell does everybody say I look like a girl! If they would look at my face and not my hair it's quite obvious!" he protested as he shoved a whole sausage patty in his mouth.

"I guess it's better than being called a boy when you are really a girl," Trowa replied offhandedly. "That's not what I'd be worried about if I were you. None of the other hunters have hair as long as yours. Quatre knew it was you."

"Like I give a damn what 'golden boy' Winner knows," Duo snapped, picking up his glass of orange juice.

"**Duo Maxwell**." called a voice from behind Duo, pausing crossly between the two names. He did not have to look up. He recognized it immediately.

Duo took his last swallow of orange juice and slammed the glass down on the table. "Yeah, that's me," he replied irritably as he turned around to face a young man, elegantly dressed in a long white robe detailed with silver and gold thread along the sleeves and collar. His white blonde hair and bright aqua eyes gave his youthful face a dignified appearance. Although he was only twenty one, Quatre Rebarba Winner was the London Clan's Clan Leader. The Winner family was highly regarded with the Council, hunting vampires for almost as long as the Order has existed. Being born into the name Winner was to be born into a life of servitude and death within the Order of Phytoran.

"Come with me," he commanded tersely. Quatre glanced over at Trowa. "Excuse us Trowa," he added politely and began walking towards the exit.

"Here we go," Duo mumbled, rolling his eyes and standing up. Leaving his unfinished breakfast on the table and swaying with fatigue, Duo reluctantly followed Quatre out of the mess hall. The pair (with a great deal of space between them) exited the cafeteria and proceeded down several hallways. They rounded after corner. Ahead, Duo could see the large silver doors that lead to Quatre's office. Quatre opened the door and Duo followed him into the room. Duo almost jumped as the heavy doors automatically shut loudly behind him.

Amazingly enough, this was the first time Quatre had decided to take him to his office to reprimand at him, most of the time he just yelled at him right then and there as soon as he could find him. Curious, he looked around. On the walls were large red tapestries of hieroglyphics that depicted the vampire's and Order of Phytoran's entire history together. There was an additional tapestry cast in hunter green behind Quatre's desk. On it in gold thread was a large tree with little names on it; the Winner family tree.

Lining the right wall of the room were large wooden bookshelves that held massive quantities of tattered, old books. Duo spotted a small series of red leather books titled with Quatre's name, followed by a different year on each one. The hunter recognized them as the required journals each of the clan leaders kept. Above Quatre's books were Serena Winner's, his oldest sister out of twenty nine. Serena was over London's clan until she died four years ago when the responsibility passed to Quatre. To the right of Serena's books were Catherine Winner's, their mother. She died twenty one years ago, giving birth to Quatre. Duo looked further up the bookshelf. His eyes scanned over several other Winner names he was not quite familiar with, until one name caught his eye; "Celes Winner." He look disdainfully at it. It was a name Duo knew all too well.

Quatre walked behind his desk and turned around. He placed his fingertips on top of the desk and let out a soft sigh.

"You are becoming more trouble that you are worth, Maxwell," Quatre said stiffly.

"Is that so?" Duo sneered, "As I recall, you summoned me here remember? Not the other way around." He crossed his arms and stared at Quatre indignantly.

"I don't know how they run things in New York, but here we operate with drawing as little attention to ourselves as possible," Quatre replied firmly, placing his palms flat on his desk and leaning forward. "We don't make things harder on ourselves than it has to be. We can't go out and mass slaying vampires with witnesses everywhere. Or maybe, you want some kind of public hysteria!"

"Funny, the Order's never asked me what I wanted before," Duo commented sarcastically. He put his right hand out, keeping his other one crossed in front of his chest, "The way I see it is the less vampires, the better. This is how I do things and if you don't like it, then too **fucking** bad! Send me home for all I care! I didn't ask to be brought here!"

"Duo...you must exercise caution in your endeavors," Quatre pleaded, "if Trieze finds out you are alive he will stop at nothing until he finds you and kills you." He paused hesitantly, eyeing Duo carefully. Duo knew what was coming next. Quatre straightened up, and spoke as cautiously as possible, "You are the one who can finally kill all the vampires."

"Look!" Duo blurted, "Let's get one thing straight. You can save your pathetic dogma. I don't believe in Celes's prophecy now, nor have I ever, so you can do yourself a favor and shut the fuck up." Duo yelled furiously, jerking his head to the side and looking away. He was so pissed off. Everything in his life always came to this.

There has never been a more renounced oracle than the great Celes Winner. She was Quatre's grandmother. She led the Order of Phytoran in London until her early death over seventy years ago. She had just turned twenty five. She made a final prophecy right before her death. The record of the prophecy, unfortunately, was only partially recovered. That piece alone, however, was enough to ruin Duo's life. She foretold a child with the power to control and defeat the vampire nation would be born before the turn of the century. The rest was lost, save for the part that the child would have violet eyes. The Order of Phytoran has been searching for the rest of the prophecy for well over a decade, ever since Maxwell Church took in Duo. As luck would have it, the hunter who recorded it was captured and killed shortly there after by the Von Esper tribe. Whether the vampires knew the true nature of the prophecy or not, was still unknown. But one thing was for sure. They definitely had wanted him dead.

"Whether you believe the prophecy or not, there are plenty of people who do. If the vampires find out you're alive they'll try to kill you again." Quatre stated grimly as he stepped closer to Duo.

Duo snapped his head around and shot Quatre a deadly glare. "You know what," he said briskly, "I think I've heard enough."

Duo turned around, threw both doors open and stormed out. Quatre took a deep breathe. He turned around and faced the tapestry. He walked over and reached out with pale elegant fingers to touch Celes's name.

_'Duo is very arrogant. He is both foolish and dangerous. He risks everything we have fought so hard for. Guide me Celes, for I could use your help.'_

Duo entered his room and slammed the door. He felt defeated; nothing was ever going to change in his life. He walked over to the nearest wall and punched it, slightly cracking the sheet rock. He refused to believe in fate. He felt trapped within a world he despised, but could never leave. If he did, it would surely cost him his life. He was furious at the fact that he would never be in control of his life. The only thing that made him briefly feel in control of some aspect of his life, was killing vampires. Ironicly, the action that made him feel somewhat in control was in fact commanded by the same organization that made him feel he was not in control of his life in the first place. Just thinking about it made his head hurt.

"Bullshit," he quietly cursed beneath his breath.

He stormed over to his dresser and chunked his weapons on top of it. Shaking his head in disgust, he grabbed the end of his braid with one hand and jerked the band binding it out with one swift stroke. He walked into the bathroom and threw it in the sink. He quickly undressed, hatefully throwing his clothes on the floor. He gripped the sides of the white porcelain sink tightly, his knuckles turning white. He stared down at the band tangled with a few of his broken hairs beside the drain. He took his right hand and gripped the dangling silver cross around his neck and looked up at himself in the mirror. He stared sadly at his reflection for a few seconds before going over to the shower and turning on the tap. He put a hand under the hard spray of water to test the temperature. He adjusted the knobs a bit and when he was satisfied, stepped into the shower.

He placed his hands on the wall in front of him and bowed his head letting the water warm his tired body. He allowed the steam to fill his lungs and soothe his breathing, calming him down. He reached over and grabbed the bottle of shampoo. Squeezing a generous amount in his palm, he rubbed his hands together and began working it through his long locks. He rinsed the shampoo out and repeated the process with conditioner. After he carefully washed the conditioner out, he remained under the water, allowing it to massage his aching body. After several minutes, he turned the water off and grabbed the nearest towel. Feeling slightly better, he quickly dried himself off and put the towel around his waist. He carefully stepped out of the shower, his feet cold on the slippery smooth tiles.

_'I gotta remember to get a rug_.'

He grabbed his brush, threw his long hair forward over his shoulder and began smoothing out the tangles. He walked out of the bathroom, throwing the towel on top of the pile of dirty clothes in the corner. Naked, he walked over to his dresser, opened a drawer, rummaged through for a soft pair of boxers and slipped them on.

Normally, Duo braided his hair before he went to bed, but the process took several minutes. And today, he was exhausted. All he felt like doing this morning was going to sleep. He threw his arms out and collapsed onto the bed. He grabbed and hugged his pillow, closing his eyes. He cleared his thoughts and allowed his mind to focus only on the cold softness of the bedsheets. He let his body sink into the mattress and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

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_Duo looked around. He was standing in Maxwell Church in Los Angeles, California. The clergy was in some sort of meeting and the door to Father Maxwell's office was closed. Duo put his hands on the door and pressed his ear against it, listening hard. He could hear the priest shouting at someone. Duo's heart began beating fast. Father Maxwell sounded very angry. Duo had never heard the man yell at anybody before. The normal lenity in his voice was completely gone. _

_"You mean to tell me the boy is to be trained at once?" Father Maxwell barked across the room._

_"Yes, it will be done as soon as possible," came another voice, "We believe he is the child from Celes Winner's last prophecy."_

_Father Maxwell let out a short laugh that did not suit him at all. "Last prophecy! Don't you mean lost prophecy?" he remarked in an overly sweet tone, "because that's exactly what it is gentlemen; **lost**."_

_"That doesn't matter. Lost or not, Councilmen, we have age requirements on hunter apprentices for a reason," a soft voice reminded them. It was Sister Helen's voice. "Duo will not understand all of this. He's only five. He's much too young."_

_Duo's face contorted in confusion. Why were they talking about him? Was Father Maxwell mad at **him**? _

_"He will simply 'ave to learn," came a voice in a thick British accent. "The boy is the chosen one." _

_"You don't know that, Christopherson!" Father Maxwell interjected hastily, "You have one piece! **ONE PIECE **of this so called prophecy. You have no idea what you could be dealing with. You don't even know what the whole thing says!" _

_"We know enough!" Christopherson hissed. "This is humanity's survival we are talking about! We are at war. Or, perhaps you 'ave forgotten that, Father!" he bellowed from across the room._

_"Fine," Father Maxwell growled through clenched teeth. "If the **Council**," he paused to lay a heavy stress on the word, "insists he be trained, I demand it be done here." _

_"The Council doesn't respond well to demands, Father," Christopherson spat. "If it were up to me, I'd see to it that you were sacked."_

_"Then I am glad," Father Maxwell replied bluntly, "that it is not up to you."_

_"The Council has already decided on the matter," came a smooth female voice, "The child may stay here under your guardianship. As we are immensely concerned about the boy's future, a member of this Council, as well as a Master Hunter, will join your clan permanently to oversee the boy's training."_

_"The Council will send word soon of when your new clan members shall arrive." Christopherson stated reproachfully before standing up to leave._

_Duo quickly pushed his body away from the door and ran quietly down when he heard chairs scraping the floor. Quietly, he ran silently down the hall into an empty storage closet. He cracked the door slightly and watched nervously as the strange men and women wearing dark red cloaks filed out of Father Maxwell's office. Father Maxwell and Sister Helen were last to leave. Reaching in his pocket, Father Maxwell pulled out his key and locked his office behind them._

_The tired priest sighed. "Helen," he said heavily. _

_"Yes Father?" she asked politely._

_"Please find Duo. There is much we need to explain to him."_

_"Of course Father," Helen said softly and turned down the hallway that lead to the boy's side of the orphanage._

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Duo turned in his sleep but the dream kept coming.

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_The scenery had shifted. Duo was standing in a dojo. He held his stick up, then rushed his opponent. The pair exchanged several stick strikes, until finally, the girl he was fighting knocked his stick out of his hands and pinned him to the ground by his neck using hers._

_"Nice try Maxwell, but you're dead," she said with a satisfying chuckle._

_Duo raised his legs and flipped the two of them over, pinning her down in the very much the same way._

_"Never underestimate your opponent, Hilde," Duo replied in a cocky tone._

_She struggled to move but could not get up under Duo's strength. Duo laughed and stood up._

_Smiling, he offered her his hand. She accepted it and the two started practicing again. At that moment, a tall man entered the room, dressed in dark red robes._

_The flicker of color caught Duo's eye. The hunter paused for a moment. He recognized the clothes immediately. The man was part of the Council. Suddenly, and without warning, a struck him straight across his cheek and he hit the ground hard. Hilde rushed over with her hand over her mouth. "Duo! Oh my god! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you so hard! You didn't even try to block me. Is something wrong?" she asked, helping Duo up._

_  
Duo staggered to his feet, rubbing his stinging cheek. "Look," he whispered quickly._

_Hilde and Duo watched the man look through the crowd of hunter apprentices. "What's a member of the Council doing here?" she asked._

_"Don't know," Duo replied, watching nervously as the man moved closer to their direction. _

_Duo hated it when members of the Council visited. It made him unbelievably nervous. It was already weird that their clan had a member of the Council in it. No other clan was like that. Over the years, the Councilmen visits began to make Duo feel on edge. They would always ask him weird questions that they did not ask any of the other apprentices. As time passed, he had never seen anyone else train at the age he was trained at. It was forbidden in fact. Members of the Council would come and go, whispering his name behind closed doors. By the time he was eleven, Duo knew, without a doubt, something was different about him._

_Duo woke up with a really bad feeling about today, like he knew something like this was going to happen. Quickly, he turned around so the man could not see his face. The action, however, did not do much to hide his identity, his long hair made he readily identifiable from the back. Duo could feel the man coming closer and closer. He did not have to turn around to know he was right behind him._

_"Duo Maxwell?" the Councilman asked._

_"Yeah?" Duo replied without turning around._

_"Come with me," The man turned around and made for the door._

_"I wonder what this is about," Duo mumbled, "See you later."_

_"Later," she slowly replied, as Duo quietly followed the man out the door. They headed down the hall and turned to the right. Several minutes and several turns later, they arrived at Father Maxwell's office. The Councilman opened the door and they walked in._

_Father Maxwell looked up sadly. "Duo," he said heavily and gestured towards the chair in front of his desk, "Please have a seat."_

_Duo looked from Father Maxwell to the old brown leather chair in front of his desk. The young hunter remained quiet as he nervously took a seat in the overstuffed chair._

_The Councilman spoke, "The Council requests you be transferred to the New York Clan, Duo."_

_Duo turned around to look at the Councilman. "What! Why?" he protested._

_Father Maxwell shot a look of warning at the Councilman, shaking his head subtly from side to side. Duo caught the gesture out of the corner of his eye and turned around to face him. He looked at the Councilman quickly and then back to Father Maxwell. "What's going on, Father?" Duo demanded._

_"It is best," he replied softly, "you do not ask questions at the moment, Duo. Just do as you are told."_

_Duo stood up and shook his head quickly side to side. "No!" he yelled impatiently, "I am tired of being interrogated and alienated. For years you guys have been asking me things and demanded I do them without so much as an explanation. Now I've had enough. Someone will tell me what is going on and someone will tell me now!"_

_"Duo, we are only doing what we believe is best for you right now," Father Maxwell said firmly, desperate for Duo to understand._

_Duo hated hearing those words. He suddenly hated looking at Father Maxwell. He felt frustrated and betrayed somehow. He had always been able to ask Father Maxwell anything. He was like a father to him. After he was orphaned as a child, Duo had his name be changed to Maxwell out of respect for the man. Now, all he wanted to do was jump over the desk and punch him._

_"I think I can decide what's best for me," Duo told him hatefully._

_Father Maxwell bowed his head in defeat. He intertwined his fingers and rested his chin upon them looking down. He looked up at Duo, over to the Councilman, then back to Duo. He paused for a second, briefly, contemplating his next words carefully. "You're right Duo. It's time you heard the truth. I've dreaded this moment for the past ten years. But, I see it can not be avoided any longer."_

_Duo sat down slowly. Father Maxwell sounded more serious than he had ever heard him sound before. Duo looked down and realized his fingertips were like ice, as goosebumps slowly began covering his arms. Finally, he was going to hear the truth after all these years, and suddenly, that thought scared him to death. And for Duo, there was no going back now. He swallowed the lump in his throat and found it hard to speak. "Please..." he said gruffly, "I have to know."_

_"Yes," replied Father Maxwell slowly, "Yes, you do."_

_Duo looked into Father Maxwell's crystal blue eyes. Father Maxwell looked away. He looked sadly over to his bookshelf at the section of little red books labeled with the name "Father David Maxwell" down the spine in gold letters. He got up and removed the book labeled "1988". He opened it and began flipping through the pages. "Duo," he asked without looking up, "What do you know about the sanction of oracles that work for the Order of Phytoran?" _

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Duo rolled over on his side, clenching his pillowcase close to his body.

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_"You're wrong!" Duo shouted._

_The Councilman shook his head. "We do not believe we are mistaken here. There are certain.." _

_Duo interrupted him hysterically. "I don't give a fuck what you believe! You heard Father Maxwell! The person in this thing is suppose to have control over the vampires. I don't have any more control over them than you do. This is ridiculous!"_

_The Councilman stood up and towered over Duo. Duo looked up at him and did not back down. "Regardless of how you feel you are still going to New York," the Councilman told him firmly._

_"No," Duo said menacingly, "I'm not."_

_The Councilman gave a smirk, "You may have hunted a couple of turned vampires here and there but you've never encountered pureblooded vampires before, much less assassins. The Order has a significant amount of interest in your well being, therefore, certain measures will be used to ensure your protection. They are coming and they intend to kill you."_

_"And what happens when they don't find me? Huh! Tell me something, did you tell everyone here they were expendable! That - that **their** lives weren't as important as mine! I'm not going to leave my friends here to die!" _

_"The Master Hunters here are more than capable of slaying a couple of Kobejitsu assassins," the Councilman replied smoothly._

_"Then why can't I stay here? If they can protect the clan, then they can protect me!" Duo shouted desperately._

_"The matter is not up for discussion, boy. You are leaving, and you are leaving now. I suggest you pack quickly!" The man walked across the room, opened the door, stepped aside and turned back to look at Duo. _

_Duo crossed the room towards the door, stopped just short of it and turned to face the Councilman. "Your prophecy is wrong." Duo said calmly, "I'm not leaving Los Angeles, and you and your stupid Council can't make me. So why don't you just go to hell." With that, Duo swept past him and headed down the hall to his room._

_He walked swiftly as his mind was racing to formulate a plan. He could not run away, that would not save anyone. Duo found himself at his door. He opened it and slammed it shut behind him. He put his back against the door and slid down to the floor. He pulled his legs in close to his body and put his head in his hands. He had to think of something quick or all his friends: Trowa, Hilde, Solo, would die. And Duo would be faced with the terrible truth that it would be all because of him. He was no one, nothing special. Why the hell did his eyes have to be violet? That was not all that unusual was it? Why couldn't they just find someone else to fit their stupid prophecy? _

_Duo got up and started pacing. He couldn't think about that now. No. He had to think about what he could do to save his friends. He had to focus. He had to think. Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door._

_"I'm not coming," Duo spat._

_Just as the words came out of his mouth, the door flew open and the wind knocked Duo to the wall, holding him off the floor. He turned his head to the side to catch his breath. Painfully, he turned back around. In the doorway stood a woman dressed in the clothing of a member of the Council. Her long pure white hair was flying around her wildly and her eyes were glowing bright white. She was a witch._

_"Oh, I think you will," she replied in an overly sweet tone. Duo found he could not move his body. With a slight wave of her hand, his feet hit the ground. _

_"This way please," she replied. Duo followed her out of the room, powerless to move on his own._

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Duo was sweating profusly. Although he was trying, he couldn't force himself awake. His eyes twitched as he turned over on his back.

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_He was almost there. Exhausted, he stopped to lean against the brick wall to catch his breath. He flinched as he applied pressure to his left arm to help stop the bleeding. He had to kill the witch to get away from her. It was no simple task breaking through high level mind control spells, mind you. With the Council after him and no place to go, he had to make it back to Maxwell Church in time. He only had five more blocks to go. _

_You don't have time for this Duo, you gotta keep moving. He told himself._

_He took off running as fast as his body would let him. The strong smell of smoke filled the crisp night air. Something was definitely on fire. Duo's worst fears were confirmed as he rounded the corner to witness - for the second time in his life - his home burning to the ground. Duo's eyes welded up with tears. "NO!" he screamed. Adrenaline pumping hotly through his veins, he ran to the side door and kicked it down. Desperately, he went from room to room, looking for anybody trapped. Every room he went through was littered with the bodies of hunters and hunter apprentices. It was hopeless; through every door Duo was greeted with the sight of more and more mangled bodies._

_Oh my god, this isn't happening, this isn't happening! He told himself firmly. _

_He ran wildly into the only room left - the training room. He reached the opened doorway and stared blankly at the horrific scene playing out before his eyes. About a dozen vampires were standing over the bodies of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen in a sickening pool of bright red blood. Throughout the room, dozens of hunters lay ungracefully on the floor, their limbs twisted and bent improperly at their joints. He drew a shaky breath, fell to his knees and screamed._

_At once, all the vampires looked over to Duo's direction. "That's him!" one of the vampires hissed out in a cold voice. It was like everything was happening to him at once without him being aware of it. Dozens of pureblooded vampires were closing in around him. Despite the obvious hopelessness of his situation, Duo began laughing. It was a mad sort of laugh that reverberated hauntingly off the walls. He found himself standing, although he did not remember moving. His mind went blank. It was like his body was on fire. Rage had consumed him. He closed his eyes. He could feel something stirring within him; something almost primal. Duo rose off the ground and arched backwards as black wings ripped from his back. He screamed in pain, blood trickling down his back. His eyes flew open, glowing violet. The hungry grins vanished from the vampire's faces. They were froze in their spots, staring in frightened amazement. _

_"What magic is this?" one of the vampire demanded, fear lacing his voice._

_Duo feet hit the ground. His chest rose and fell in a raggid manner. He leaned over and pried a silver edge sword out of a hunter's hand on the floor. He looked up and smiled wickedly. _

_"You should have never come here," he told them. His voice sounded different, almost like something had possessed him. A couple of vampires started to move forward. "Don't move!" Duo added darkly. The vampires froze in their place. Duo walked forward slowly. "You," he shouted and pointed at the vampire closest to him. "Take this." He threw the vampire the sword._

_"Kill them all," he told the vampire bitterly. Duo watched from the side as the vampire stabbed each of the other vampires through the heart and took off their heads - one by one. After the last head rolled to the ground and exploded into ashe, the vampire walked over to Duo and extended his hand with the sword. Without a word, Duo reached out and took the sword and stabbed him though the heart. Covered in ashe and completely exhausted, Duo fell face first into the floor. Instantly, the wings flew inward into his back, leaving two gaping slashes in his flesh. Black feathers fell to the floor all around Duo's bruised and broken body. Duo heard a low moan and looked up. He could see Sister Helen's arm moving. With no strength left to walk, he used his arms and dragged his body over to her side._

_"Sister Helen! Are you alright? Please, please say you're alright!" he pleaded in a hoarse and exhausted voice. Helen's eyes fluttered open and she smiled faintly. She raised her hand, gently touched his cheek, and whispered, "Duo...you're...you're alive." It was all he could do to understand her though her terrible fits of coughing. Her voice was raspy and cracked here and there. "You must...you must go to New York. Finish your training...Duo you're...you're...the one..." She went silent and her blood blotched hand fell to the ground with a sickening thud._

_"Helen!" he screamed, desperately shaking her shoulders, "Helen! You'll be fine. Just hold on." He gripped her robes in his hands and buried his face in them, sobbing uncontrollably. "Don't worry. It's going to be okay. I'm going to save you. Just please hold on," he mumbled into her blood stained clothing. This was all his fault. _

_No, it's not he quickly told himself. It's not your fault; it's Celes Winners. _

_No form of revenge could help him now. Because of Celes, Helen was dead and nothing he could do would change that. Exhausted, Duo collapsed on top of her, still clinging desperately to her clothes. He could hear the fire blazing and walls crumbling around him. _

_Barely conscious, in a place short of Heaven and Hell, Duo felt himself go cold, and for a moment, thought he was dead. It took a moment before he realized it was just something blocking the heat of the fire. With no strength left to move, he opened his eyes and saw a shadowy figure standing over him. He tried to focus his eyes but couldn't. Everything was hazy through a thick cloud of dark smoke. The figure picked him up and carried him out of the room. With his body next to the person, Duo could tell it was a guy. The guy had his hood up so Duo could not see his hair but from the orange glow of the flames, he could tell he had blue eyes. Duo opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He could hold on no longer. When they reached the street, Duo passed out._

_"Duo! Duo!" came a familiar voice. It was Trowa. "Duo wake up!" _

_Duo flinched. His head was throbbing. His body ached all over. He could hear a loud clanking noise and was being swayed back and forth. The sensation made him feel like he was going to puke. He gathered all his strength and opened his eyes. Everything seemed brighter than it ought to be. Squinting, he looked up and saw Trowa. He had never been so glad to see him before in his life. Looking around, he realized he did not know where he was._

_"Where am I?" Duo coughed groggily, the metallic taste of blood still in his mouth._

_"On a train. We are headed to the Houston Clan for medical attention. Don't worry, you'll be alright. You've been out for a while. We are almost there." Trowa said._

_Sitting up slowly, Duo ran a hand through his dirty, blood crusted bangs. "Hilde and Solo didn't make it, did they?" he asked grimly._

_Trowa looked away. "No, they didn't." Duo could barely hear Trowa talking. The words, "No, they didn't" were still echoing in his mind. "Only a few of us made it out alive. In all honesty, I shouldn't be alive. I just got lucky, that's all. I was craving chocolate, so I left to get some at the convenience store down the block just five minutes before they attacked. I was on my way back when I heard screaming. When I saw the church on fire, I called our main office for backup, but the vampires had already taken it out. No survivors. However, I managed to warn our downtown office in time. They were able to evacuate; They're on the train with us now. I've never seen so many vampires before. Assassins, I heard someone say, from the Kobejitsu Tribe. It's strange, they've never been in this region before. I wonder who they were looking for."_

_Duo looked down at his blood stained hands; the proof that he couldn't deny.. He spoke quietly, "They were after me." He covered his face with his hands to hold back the tears. In a matter of hours, he had lost almost everything that was important to him._

_"What? Are you sure?" Trowa whispered, careful not to be overheard in the crowded car, "I don't understand. Why would they be after you?"_

_Duo did not answer. "Father Maxwell and Sister Helen are dead." he said colorlessly. Trowa put his hand on Duo's shoulder. Duo looked straight forward. His expression was unreadable. "I watched Sister Helen die."_

_"Duo, I'm so sorry." _

_"Trowa, I won't let this pass. I'm not going to stop until they're all dust at my feet," he said quietly before shouting, "I'LL KILL THEM ALL!"_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Duo shot straight up in the bed. He was covered in sweat. Breathing heavily, he ran a hand through his damp bangs. He slowly took his hand and raised it over his head and felt along his back. His fingers traced along the twin scar slashes on his back.

_'What was that?' _

Duo had many nightmares about the destruction of Maxwell Church before, but never any so vivid. And never ones where he sprouted any kind of wings. All he could ever remember was entering the church and walking in the training room to find Father Maxwell dead and Sister Helen dying. The last thing he remembered was holding Sister Helen as she died. Getting out of the church was a total blackout.

_'Could that be what really happened? Why can't I remember? Oh! This is crazy! Just a dream Duo. It was just a dream. What time is it?'_

Duo glanced over at the clock on the wall; it read 3:08 pm. Duo sat up, crossed his legs, and stared at his covers. He looked over to the other side of the room. Instead of seeing Trowa, he instead found a perfectly made bed.

_'Guess Trowa wasn't sleepy.' _

Duo didn't feel like moving. He just sat there, staring at his covers until the sound of his stomach growling knocked him out of his silent reverie.

_'I'm starving.' _

He looked down at his sweat glistened body.

_'Jeez, I smell like crap. I better take another shower first.' _

After a quick five minute shower, he got out feeling much better. He ran a brush quickly through his hair and grabbed a twistie. Right now, he was too hungry to braid his hair, so he pulled it into a ponytail instead. Practically running to his dresser, he threw various articles of clothing in the floor, looking for a pair of black sleeping pants and a white tank top to wear.

After he slipped on the garments, Duo brushed his teeth and headed down to the cafeteria. He loaded his plate full of junk food. He did not see Trowa, so he had a seat at an empty table. He finished eating quickly, then stared blankly around the dining hall for a few minutes. Every once and a while he heard the name "Maxwell" being whispered. No doubt, having him there was some sort of "bad luck" for them. After all, his first clan was basically wiped out because of him and who's to say they wouldn't be next. He couldn't blame them, he'd want him gone too if he were them. Duo glanced over at the hunters laughing at the table across from him.

"Hey, Maxwell!" one of the hunters shouted over the other's laughter. "We were thinking about burning down the entire city tonight. You know, do London a favor and get rid of all the vampires at once. Care to join us?" He barely managed to get the last part out through a fit of sputtering laughter. At first, Duo laughed with them, but then stopped abruptly. "The only place I'll be joining you," he spat as he got up with his tray, "is in Hell."

"Okay, but if you change your mind you know where to find us!" he shouted behind Duo as he walked off. Deciding to get some training in, he dropped off his tray and went down the hall with several other hunters.

The training room was packed this evening. Hunters were in pairs of two all over the room, sparring with each other. He walked close to the wall, careful not to get in anyone's way as he made his way to the arsenal.

He opened the door, walked into the giant room and grabbed a wooden bow. Although he preferred his scythes, Duo knew it was a good idea to be familiar with as many weapons as possible. At any time, one might have to grab something quick to defend one's life. Duo leaned against the back wall of the training room. He hadn't really though about fighting at all. It was fun to just watch the other Hunters fight each other. All the different clans of hunters had different styles that were specialized to the vampires in their region. It was good practice for everybody to fight each other and learn from one another.

"I was wondering when I'd see you." Duo looked over to the direction of the voice. He must be losing it, because he had not even noticed Trowa walk up beside him.

"How did it go with Quatre?" Trowa asked lightly.

"Oh you know...same ol' same ol'" Duo sung, his mind obviously somewhere else. Suddenly, he turned to look at Trowa. "Hey can I ask you something?" Duo said quickly.

Trowa eyed Duo suspiciously. He could sense uncertainty in his friend's voice. "Sure, what is it?"

A second later, Duo thought better of it and wished he had not said anything at all. He took a deep breathe. No, he needed an answer. If there was anyone who could tell him anything else about the night Maxwell Church burned to the ground, it was Trowa. "I had a nightmare about Maxwell Church. Well, I've had plenty of nightmares about it before, but this one was different somehow," he paused, deciding he would ask a saner question instead of "Have you ever seen me with wings?". "There was a man who saved me. Do you remember seeing someone carry me out of the church that day?" he asked firmly.

Trowa took a second to register what he had said. Duo never talked about the "Maxwell Church Massacre". Right after the incident, Duo transferred to the New York Clan, while Trowa returned to Los Angeles. The two still kept it contact, but after that day, Duo changed. Not just because his vampire controlling abilities manifested, but more than that, he was a much more darker person than before. He was forced to grow up too quickly and no one deserved that.

"Why do you ask?" Trowa replied.

"There are things I don't remember happening that I saw in my dream," Duo said with a touch of anguish in his tone.

"It was just a dream, Duo," he replied comfortingly. Duo looked down at the floor. Maybe Trowa was right.

Trowa leaned the back of his head against the wall. He closed his eyes, to better access the memories. "I remember finding you on the sidewalk. We dragged you away from the church while you were still unconscious. I don't remember seeing anyone bring you out, but then again I don't remember much about that night myself. We were only kids you know."

"Yeah, I know," he told himself bleakly. "I saw someone though. I just don't..." Duo was cut off before he could finish, by one of the hunter apprentices. A small, raven haired girl, that looked like she was about ten, busted through the training room doors next to them, panting because she was out of breath. "Attention everyone! Attention!" she started shouting at the top of her lungs. All of the hunters stopped what they were doing and turned in her direction. "This way everybody!" she spoke in a high pitched, exhausted voice, "Emergency meeting in Room 4!"

Duo and Trowa exchanged glances and headed out the training room with the rest of the hunters.

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

(Praeses Aetas means the protection of life)

Wow! That was a lot to stomach! On a personal note, I would like to thank my brother for so graciously agreeing to be my beta reader. Thank you.

Thanks for reading and remember to review! (Points to review button Thank ye!


	3. Journey to Rosetta

**_Author's Note:_** Most of the vampire and Order of Phytoran history lessons are over. Now on with the core of the story. Visit www (dot) geocities (dot) com (backslash) shinigamiange1 for my fan art. (This won't be updated again til chapter 4)

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Journey to Rosetta_¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Duo felt incredibly uncomfortable being so close to so many people. Loud whispering filled the hallway, as hundreds of hunters waddled slowly through the stuffy corridors, anxiously making their way to Room Four. Duo let out an irritated huff. If they were moving any slower, they would not be moving at all.

"Why Room Four? Isn't it a little small for all these people?" Duo asked quietly, almost as if he were talking to himself. "I wonder what's going on now."

Trowa was in front of him, making no gesture to suggest he even heard Duo talking. "Whatever it is, it must be important," he replied without turning around.

"Oh!" Duo exclaimed softly, tugging Trowa's sleeve, "Maybe they're sending us home! I hope so. I can't stand it here any longer. London sucks. I can't wait to get back to New York. The first thing I'm going to do is get a big slice of Angelo's pizza with extra cheese. Oh yeah." His mouth watered at the thought of the breaded slice of heaven. "Oh," he added in false surprise, "I almost forgot to mention the fact that nearly everyone in this clan hates me and most of them probably want me dead."

Trowa shook his head. "Duo Maxwell, concerned first and foremost about food," he chuckled softly. "I guess somethings will never change."

It was Sunday, and the museum was closed to the public. Steadily, hunters began filling the small white room. Although he immediately noticed all the mages were already present, the first thing Duo noticed when he entered was Quatre, standing next to the Rosetta Stone, conversing quietly with several members of the Council. Violet eyes lowered suspiciously, anger etched into the handsome features of his face.

"Well, we definitely aren't going home," Duo announced loudly for everyone around him to hear, "I've never gotten any good news from any of _them_."

"If we are going home, it would be on the Council's orders." Trowa said dully.

"Hey!" Duo protested in a falsely hurt tone, "You're suppose to be on my side."

"Well, that would explain why they are here. Besides, they asked to see all of us. Why else would they do that?"

"No, it's gotta be something else. Like you said, they asked to see all of us. Not just the transferees. We aren't going home. I'll bet my life on it."

The young hunters muttered various unheartfelt apologies through the crowd as they made their way to the edge of the room, taking care not to bump into the glass towers throughout the room, housing various artifacts. Duo leaned against the wall. Trowa was standing beside him, his eyes fixed intently on the blonde clan leader. From the side, Duo could see the London Clan's hunter apprentices, sitting perfectly crosslegged in several lines on the floor. They looked excited; their full attention on Quatre and the red robed men and women at the center of the room.

_Look at them. So young, naive, and stupid._

Duo stared at them for a moment, staring, but not really seeing. They were blurred little shapes to Duo as he tried to remember what if felt like to have the worries of a normal child. He stopped thinking about it when the trail of miscellaneous thought drifted to a darker place in his mind. Where memories were tattered bloody images, leaving him feeling angry rather than nostalgic. He jerked his mind out of the darkness and looked around the room. In this big a crowd, no one was looking at him, whispering neither snide comments, nor one's filled with false hope.

Duo turned his attention to the front. At the center of the room, Quatre was shaking the hand of the Councilman on his right. A part of Duo could not help but feel sorry for the small blonde. Most clan leaders were much older than him. He was given the responsibility when he was only eighteen; still a child. No other clan leader in history of the Order has been that young. Duo thought he always looked emotionally exhausted, a beautiful sort of sadness that shadowed over his pale features. Heavy stress and constant fatigue masked the unusual grace of his slight form. In many ways, he was like Duo. No one asked Quatre if _he_ wanted to join the Order; he never had a choice in the matter.

The man beside Quatre turned around. Duo sneered - this was the perfect end to a perfectly lousy day.

"Christopherson," he hissed, leering at the man with the very deepest of loathing. Although the Councilman was not looking in his direction, Duo was still satisfied with his silent threat, wishing looks really could kill.

Trowa tore his glance away from the robed man and looked at Duo, "Ignore him Duo. Just pretend he's not there."

"Easy for you to say. The person you hate more than anything isn't in the same room as you."

Everyone was standing uncomfortably close to one another. Shouts of inappropriate touching could be heard from some of the younger, more immature hunters. Duo rolled his eyes. He use to think stuff like that was funny, but that was a long time ago.

Quatre turned around to face the group, cleared his throat and raised his hands high, causing his long white sleeves to fall to his elbows. "Alright! Everybody settle down!" the young clan leader yelled loudly. "I know you are all wondering what this is about. I promise if you all have patience, you'll have your answers as soon as everyone arrives."

He put his arms down and the room immediately erupted in various volumes of hushed whispers. Every couple of minutes a hunter or two would drudge in, rubbing their eyes. They were taking it better than Duo would have. He absolutely _hated _being woke up. If he had been sleeping when they knocked on his door, they would have simply gotten an unceremonious "Fuck off." And if they entered, various random weapons thrown at them. The braided hunter, along with the rest of the crowd, was getting restless - this was taking far too long.

"I'm outta here." said Duo at once. He turned around and began walking towards the exit, Trowa's voice calling behind him. But before Duo could make it halfway to the door, all the exits were magically closed by the mages beside them.

Quatre's eyes followed the last of the stranglers into the unsettled crowd. This time it was Christopherson's time to quell the impatient crowd of annoyed hunters and mages. "Quiet everyone, Quiet!" he barked. Duo turned back around and began making his way back to his former spot on the wall through the sea of immobile hunters, listening intently to the Councilman. Duo had to bite his lip to resist the overwhelming urge to yell "Fuck you!" as loud as he could at the man.

Christopherson put his arms down and walked behind the blonde clan leader, who stepped forward so his voice would penetrate the room better. "Thank you all for your patience. I will try to make this as quick as possible. I have some rather excited news you all will be interested to hear."

"Oh, I can't wait," Duo mumbled sarcastically.

"Sshh." Trowa let out irritably.

The braided hunter shook his head mockingly behind the taller hunter.

"Now that you're all here," Quatre announced firmly, "we can begin. As you all may know, The Order has financially backed the Peacecraft family's egyptian excavations for hundreds of years. The Peacecraft family has made many important discoveries that have helped us better understand both the origin of the ancient Egyptians and their mysterious connection with the vampire race. We believe, this afternoon, Relena Peacecraft's team has made the most important discovery thus far."

The room had fallen completely silent, their full attention on Quatre.

"Her excavation was near the Damanhur Stela where her ancestor's team found the Rosetta Stone," he paused, gestering to the large stone encased in glass behind him, "before the french's army came and seized it. The French noticed the missing pieces of the stone and naturally, combed the area in an effort to locate them. As history will tell us, they were unsuccessful, of course. The new excavation was attempting to find the missing pieces of the stone to fill in the last remaining blanks of the Egyptian Hieroglyphic language. A little over two hours ago, the excavation team recovered three stone fragments covered in hieroglyphics, believed to be the missing pieces. Upon further examination, on site mages quickly determined we were dealing with something else entirely."

Quatre sounded excited now, a small smile on his face. Duo had never seen him smile before. He was almost unrecognizable without his normal worn-out expression. "Key hieroglyphics have been identified that have lead us to conclude that we have found key artifacts that could finally unravel the specific origin of the vampires."

Everyone in the stuffy room was talking very avidly amongst themselves, causing Quatre to have to speak louder, "We are not going to try to transport the stones magically because we do not know what dangerous hidden properties they may possess. Instead, the Council has ordered a special team of hunters and mages to be sent to Rosetta to immediately transport the stones safely to London." Quatre turned to a member of the Council, who opened a rather old looking scroll and began reading off several names.

Duo tuned him out and nudged Trowa, who turned around, "They brought us in this tight ass room just so he could point at the damn rock? That's dumb as _hell_. Hey, what do you think-"

"TROWA BARTON!"

A female hunter behind them pushed Trowa forward. "You're Trowa right?" she asked hastily.

"Hn." he replied, a slightly angry look on his face.

"Go! That's the third time they've called you!"

Trowa looked from her to Duo and proceeded to the center with the Councilman.

"You're lucky he didn't punch you," Duo whispered to the girl.

"No," she corrected him, "_He's_ lucky he didn't."

"Sure." Duo said mockingly, crossing his arms, only somewhat paying attention to the names being called.

"Jake Carvike, Amy Deykle, Marshall Finkly..."

He began looking around the room, watching the hunters walk to the group in the center at the announcement of their names, when something bright green caught his eye. It was Aliyas, or more specifically, Aliyas's hair. Eyes sweeping the crowd, she spotted him and waved. He gave her a Duo Maxwell signature smirk, gestering the greeting back. He tugged his hair and frowned a bit, mouthing the question: "why?"

She smiled and shrugged indifferently. Duo shook his head, chuckling shortly to himself. The young spunky hunter changed her hair more than any other person he'd ever met. She was the only person Duo talked to, besides Trowa of course. When he was first summoned to London, she was asked to show him around. Years ago, Duo took to the habit of wearing brown contacts around new people in the Order he met. It helped him give a better impression before they labeled him as "Duo Maxwell: the smart ass, attention-seeking, thinks he knows it all, wonder child of Celes's prophecy."

When he first met Aliyas, she had short spiky dark purple hair with light blue tips. The two talked about their similar interests while she showed him around the secret underground passageways and rooms beneath the British museum that served as the barracks for their clan. She had a twisted sense of humor, similar to Duo's, and the two quickly became good friends. When he told her his name, she smiled for a second before replying cooly, "I thought those looked like contacts."

He was shook out of the memory when he was shoved hard by the same hunter who pushed Trowa.

"DUO MAXWELL!" shouted the Councilman, looking at him wildly, like he was some kind of idiot.

Duo didn't have to look around, he could feel everyone's eyes burning holes in the back of his head. "Go!" the girl behind him shouted. "Do you and your friend just like hearing your names? I think we hear your name enough already."

"Shut the hell up," he hissed dangerously at the girl. Eyes following him, the crowd parted along the wall as Duo made his way to the middle of the room, quickly darting out of view behind the other hunters.

Duo stood quietly behind the dozen or so hunters, waiting for the Councilman to finish calling out all the names. The stocky Councilman closed the scroll as he read the last name, "Aliyas Rossariah."

_'Alright. At least Trowa and Aliyas are going too.'_

A different Councilman, standing close to Duo opened a similar scroll and began reading. Her voice was very nasal, emitting a not-so-subtle note of superiority, "Will the following mages come forward." Clearing her throat unnecessarily, she shouted loudly "Kyllista Anoctis, Kaitlin Anoctis-"

Duo's body visible tensed up at the announcement of the two names. He slowly peered around the side to watch the Anoctis sisters move through the crowd. Their elegant movements and long flowing silvery white hair made them look like they were floating on air rather than walking. They were in every way identical, from their bright blue eyes down to their flawless porcelain white skin - both characteristics of individuals with a natural affinity for magic. The twin sisters were as arrogant as they were beautiful. At the young age of seventeen, both of them were up for positions on the Council, even though they were younger than any other person that's been on it. Most weren't chosen for the Council until they were past forty. Their skill could be the reason they were chosen for this mission. Then again, it could just be Christopherson trying to make his life (if at all possible) more miserable. The twins hated Duo, and the object of his every frustration knew it.

The Councilman finished running off a dozen or so more names before closing her scroll and stepping back, so that Quatre was once again the center of attention. "The rest of you may go about your regular routines. Thank you for your time." Quatre turned and leaned in to whisper something into on of the Councilman's ears, then walked swiftly over to the group of hunters.

Watching his approach, Duo got an uneasy feeling. Quatre shot him a nervous sideways glance. As Duo caught his eye, the young clan leader looked away quickly and joined the circle of chosen hunters, waiting attentively, "You all have been selected because you possess certain abilities that are required to safely see the stones here. You will work as a _team_, " he stressed the last word, turning towards Duo, giving him a "this means you" look before continuing, "to achieve the objective. You all should pack quickly. Your flight leaves in an hour."

Quatre gave Duo another odd glance before plunging his hands into his long white robes and rejoining the group of Councilmen in the center of the room. Without waiting for Trowa, Duo sprinted off to their room.

Duo, following the familiar maze of twists and turns under the museum, was grateful the halls were empty. He opened the door of his room and walked inside without fully shutting it behind him. He walked to his bed, and pulled out a worn brown suitcase, chunking it on his bed. Reaching into his nightstand, he grabbed a Snickers as Trowa silently entered the room behind him. He unwrapped the chocolate bar, carelessly throwing the wrapper on the floor. He took a bite, grabbed another bar and motioned for Trowa to take it. Trowa raised his hand and Duo tossed him the bar.

Trowa caught it with ease, "You know we are going into vampire central right?"

Duo gave a short huff, "Yeah. Sounds like they are just trying to off me any way they can now. Did you see how Winner was looking at me? If the Council is involved and they picked me, this whole thing has to have something to do with Celes's prophecy. I'd bet my life on it." Duo spat, shoving a faded black t-shirt into the old suitcase.

"Look Duo," he replied hesitantly, so much so that Duo didn't like the sound of it, "I know you don't believe the prophecy, but look at the facts: your ability to control vampires, your eyes, your birth - It all fits. Would believing it actually be _that_ bad?" Trowa asked, putting the last of his clothes into the suitcase and zipping it.

Duo shut his suitcase hard. Leave it to Trowa to analyze everything logically. "I don't believe it Trowa, because it has destroyed my life. Because of it, vampires killed my family, my friends, everybody. Did you know I don't even remember what my parents looked like. All my life," his voice trembling slightly, "I've been surrounded by death because of something someone proclaimed would save us, but all I've ever seen it do is kill people. If I can't even save the ones I love, how can I save anyone else?" Not looking at Duo, Trowa stared at his suitcase.

A knock at the door broke the uncomfortable silence that had filled the room. Ignoring the slight move Trowa made for the door, Duo quickly stomped over and tore it open, nearly ripping it off the hinges. Behind it stood Quatre. "Speaking of people who ruined my life," he remarked shortly.

"What do you want, Winner?" Duo asked, still gripping the doorknob tightly.

"Beileve it or not, I'm not here for you." Quatre said hotly, stepping into the room.

"Guess there's a first time for everything," the braided hunter retorted, turning his back on the blonde and walking back to his side of the room.

"Trowa, may I have a word with you privately please," he requested.

"Er..sure," Trowa said, dropping a hunter uniform into his backpack beside his suitcase, zipping it shut.

The two stepped into the hall and began whispering. While taking his ponytail out and finally rebraiding his hair, Duo pressed his ear against the wall next to the hall, listening hard to try and understand what the pair were saying, but the walls were too thick. All he could here was incoherent mumbling, and gave up shortly thereafter. There was a whoosh of air as the door creaked open slowly. Through the small opening, Duo could see Quatre's face scrunched up, nodding slightly. He watched as the blonde gave him a sad sort of look, turned and left. Moments later, Trowa entered the room, skin slightly flushed.

"You okay? You look like you're about to be sick. What did he say to you?" Duo asked, watching Trowa fiddle through his backpack.

"Nothing, I'm fine. Let's go," Trowa replied quickly.

The two young hunters grabbed their bags and made for their transports to the airport.

The trip to the airport was uneventful and boring. If Duo hadn't brought his mp3 player, he would have likely died of boredom. Upon arrival, everyone silently exited the black suv's, grabbed their belongings, and headed for a small, private jet. Inside the plane was quite comfortable. Every window had two large red reclining seats. There was room enough for around fifty passengers in all. Trowa sat down in the first seat he came to and Duo plopped down beside him. Duo wasted no time leaning his chair back and putting his arms behind his head. Maybe he could get a quick nap in before they arrived in Alexandria. Before Duo knew it, Trowa was shaking him, telling him to wake up.

Duo slowly opened his eyes. "What? What? What is it? Are we there yet?" Duo replied, yawning loudly.

"Duo! Get up!" Trowa yelled, exiting the empty plane.

Duo rubbed his eyes, noting the bad taste in his mouth. He reluctantly pushed himself out of the overstuffed chair, stretching his arms above his head. Everyone else had already left the plane. Hastily, he grabbed his luggage and made for the door. The sun shone brightly and Duo's eyes didn't have time to adjust to the blinding light. He squinted and reached around in his backpack, grabbing his shades. Making his way down the jet's steps, he skipped the last couple and headed for the only car left that would take them to the train yard.

_Oh no. I'm going to kill Trowa! Anything but **them!**_

Duo threw his stuff in the trunk and took the last seat left in the back of the car with the Anoctis sisters. Duo closed the door and shifted to sit as far away from them as possible. They were in every way identical, so Duo didn't know if he was beside Kyllista or Kaitlin. Not that it mattered anyway. It's not that Duo was particularly afraid of them or anything. It's more the fact that when someone hates you with every fiber of their being, you try not to piss them off, if all possible. Duo could not blame them for hating his guts. He killed their mother. She was the witch from the Council ordered to take him from Maxwell Church all those years ago. He didn't want to kill her. It was an unavoidable act of neccessity. Like so many things in his life - he did not have a choice.

The ride to the station was the most uncomfortable thirty minutes of Duo's life. A tense, cold silence laced with sheer utter hatred filled the car. Even though he hated silence, he dared not speak to two people who, more than anything, wanted him dead. When the car reached the trainyard Duo got out as quickly as possible, took his ticket from the driver and grabbed his suitcase. Ahead, the braided hunter saw Trowa get out of the car with the two other hunters: Aliyas, and some other hunter Duo had never spoken to.

Seeing Duo, Aliyas smiled. "Your friend doesn't talk much, Duo. I thought 'e'd be more like you," she commented in her thick British accent.

"Silent, but deadly. He's hilarious, actually. You just have to catch him at the right moment," he replied brightly.

Duo, Trowa, and Aliyas were the only ones smart enough to dress down out in the open. To the general public, everyone else looked like they were in a bunch of halloween costumes. A couple of people raised their eyebrows and whispered as they passed. They could, however, have been talking about Aliyas's bright green hair, which, at the moment, look more like football turf than hair.

"Don't they realize they look a bit out of place?" whispered Duo to her.

"Apparently not," said Aliyas, smirking, "Then again, so do I. No one likes this new style. The first thing I'm going to do when I get back is dye it brown."

"What! _You_, with a _normal_ hair color! I think I'm going to fall over dead."

"That's not funny, Duo."

They two laughed, handing their tickets to the attendant, loading the train car. Duo made his way to the back of the car, entered an empty cabin, crammed his suitcase into the overhead compartment, threw his bookbag under the seat bench, and chose the right seat by the window. Seconds later, Trowa entered with a book in his hands. He too stuffed his suitcase in the overhead compartment, dropped his bookbag in the floor, then took the seat across from Duo.

"I can't believe you left me for dead," Duo said bitterly, giving his friend his best death glare, but Trowa didn't look up. Instead, he opened his book and started reading.

"Don't blame me. That's your own fault," he replied placidly, staring intently at the first page, "You were sleeping like the dead. I tried to wake you up for a good 5 minutes, and that's saying something."

"Well, since I'm such a nice guy I forgive you. Whatca got there?"

"Magic for beginners," Trowa replied confidently.

"What! You want to try magic! Why didn't you tell me?" yelled Duo.

"You never asked," Trowa replied cooly, turning the page.

"Now who's the smart ass? Magic is addictive, Trowa. Some let it control their lives. I hope you know what you are getting yourself into." Duo said, fiddling through his bookbag for his mp3 player.

There was a knock at the door and Duo looked up. Aliyas's face appeared through the glass. She slid the door over just enough to poke her head in.

"You lot won't mind if we sit in here? I thought I'd give you the pleasure of my company," she explained sweetly, tossing Duo her bags.

He caught them, looking confused, "We? What you got a split personality I don't know about?" he asked sarcastically.

"Kiss my ass, Duo. I meant me and Marshall." Completely pushing the doors to the side, she walked in and sat down.

"Well, I guess you can, since you've already sat down and everything. Oh, by the way, the fee for sitting next to me is twenty bucks. Pay up baby," Duo replied sweetly, putting out his hand.

She punched him in the shoulder, lightly reminding him, "You are not in America anymore Duo. We don't have 'bucks' here."

"Right, how could I forget? Well, looks like you're off the hook, but just this once." He put his arms behind his head and stretched back.

Marshall knocked on the glass, but did not wait for an answer. He slid the door opened and took the remaining seat next to Trowa.

If Trowa knew someone just sat next to him, he showed no sign of it. His full attention was focused on the old book in his hands.

"Just come on it why don't cha." Duo told Marshall, staring him in the eye with a slight scowl on his face. A part of him loved to intimidate hunters who never spoke to him before.

"I'm s..sorry," he studdered, "Aliyas said it would be alright if I sat here."

"It is alright," she said smiling, "Duo's just being stupid."

The whistle blew and the train finally started moving. Marshall glanced nervously at Duo. He grew up hearing his name, but never thought he would actually meet the guy. He let out a deep breath, trying to play it cool, "How long is this ride?" he asked.

The only thing Duo knew about Marshall was that he came from the Sidney Clan in Australia. Even if he didn't know that information about him, upon hearing his accent, one could guess the obvious. Duo resisted the urge to laugh hysterically as he pictured Marshall on a kangaroo, stabbing vampires through the heart with a silver boomerang.

Duo shrugged and took a guess, "Ummm, don't know. Bout ten hours or so."

Marshall shook his head. "Ten hours! Damn, I should have gone to the bathroom at the station. I hate taking a piss in motion."

Duo looked at him, a slightly disgusted look on his face. So much for playing it cool.

Aliyas closed her eyes, shaking her head in a disapproving manner, "That was too much information."

"Well, Cricky! Too late for that now, mate." Duo said jokingly, in his best Australian accent.

Eyebrows raised, Marshall stared at him. It was obvious the Australian Hunter didn't know what to make of the comment. Aliyas snickered, "That sounded quite horrible."

"Just playing with you man," Duo explained quickly, leaning over and punching him in the arm, flashing his best smile.

"I know," Marshall replied unconvincingly, "I can take a joke." He rubbed his stomach. "I'm starved, when do we eat?"

Suddenly, everyone else realized just how hungry they were too. Everyone looked at Duo as his stomach gave a loud growl, even Trowa peeked up from his book, trying to discover the origin of the loud noise.

Duo gave a fake clearing of his throat, "Ahem, Well! Anyone want to go to the dining cart with me?"

"That's sounds great," Aliyas said, standing up.

Everyone started to leave, except Trowa. Duo walked out the door, calling back to Trowa. "Yo Trowa! You coming or what?"

"In a minute," he yelled, turning over another page, "Go on, I'll catch up."

"Alright. See ya." Duo's distant voice sounded through the car.

The small group walked through several cars before coming to the dining car. Duo opened the door, the delightful smell of food filled his nostrils. Duo's mouth instantly began to water. The three sat down the booth closest to the back and grabbed the menus on the end of the table. Marshall and Aliyas were on one side, and Duo was on the other .

"I think I'll have the steak!" Duo announced loudly, licking his lips at the perfect image of a steak on the right side of the menu.

The waitress came by and the group placed their drink orders. She returned very shortly with their drinks. Just as she left again, Trowa slowly walked in. Duo stood up and flagged him over. Trowa sat down next to Duo, grabbed his coke, and took a sip.

"Hey! Get your own!" Duo yelled, snatching the coke away, spilling some of it in the process. Trowa sported a smug look as he watched Duo use a napkin to mop up the sticky brown mess. The waitress came over, took his order, and left again. After several minutes of pointless debate as to which was better: regular M&Ms or peanut M&Ms, the waitress brought them their food. Duo eagerly took his plate. Almost savagely, he cut his steak and promptly began stuffing his face.

No one touched their food, except for Trowa, who began eating his salad. Everyone else just stared with their jaws dropped at the braided american, stuffing his face like there was no tomorrow. Trowa, however, had seen Duo eat like he hadn't seen food in a year many times before.

"Slow down Duo! Geez! You would think you've never seen food before. How do you eat like that and stay that small?" Aliyas asked.

"Metaf-baf-lifzim." Duo mumbled, spitting bits of food on the table.

"Gross, say it don't spray it," said Aliyas, holding up a napkin to block the unwanted projectiles.

Duo swallowed the massive amount of food in his mouth, stating firmly, "Metabolism. Also, makes me a bit hyper if you didn't notice."

Everyone looked over at Trowa, who had his hand over his mouth to prevent anyone getting sprayed by his drink. Coke dripping between his fingers, he grabbed a napkin and began cleaning his sticky hand. "Believe me when I say, EVERYONE notices that Duo."

Aliyas's mouth dropped as she stared at Trowa in utter disbelief. Trowa took a napkin and wiped off his mouth, assuming he had lettuce on his face. Suddenly, Aliyas busted out laughing. "That's a good one Trowa. You're right Duo, he is funny."

"I didn't think that was very funny," said Duo in a falsely hurt tone. Trowa snickered, taking another bit of his salad.

Duo rubbed his now full stomach, "Ergh...I feel horrible. Urgh, God, I'm so tired. Trowa let me up. I think I'll get in a nap before we get there." Trowa got out of the booth to let Duo by. The stuffed hunter slid across the bench and moaned in pain as he made his way to the cash register.

"Eat and sleep. Does he ever do anything else?" Aliyas joked between fits of giggles.

"I heard that!" Duo called back, walking out the door.

Duo pushed open the glass doors of the cabin, cheeks puffed and stomach slightly bulging. With great effort, he felt under the seat, looking victorious as he pulled out a pillow and blanket. He opened his front pocket of his bookbag and pulled out his mp3 player. Pressing play, he got comfortable, and let Linkin Park fill his head as he fell into a hard slumber.

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ ¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_Duo looked around. He was in some sort of oasis - naked, waist deep in water. The sun was blazing high in the sky, burning his exposed skin. The water beneath him felt cool and refreshing on his hot flesh. He slowly let himself fall back, allowing the cool liquid wash over his body. When he came up for air, he was grabbed from behind by a pair of strong arms. He struggled for a second but relaxed as the person began kissing the back of his neck. His tense body relaxed against the smooth skin behind him. He closed his eyes. He felt so safe. The grip around him loosened as hands felt down his sides. Goosebumps graced his skin where fingers once were. Duo shuddered slightly as fingertips stopped at his hips and gently pulled him lower into the water. Duo felt a surge of ecstacy fill his body. Something about this felt so right. His breathing was heavy and excited. He had to have more. He turned around to kiss the person behind him, but they were gone. "Where?" he asked, smile fading, "Where are you?" _

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ ¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Duo woke up with a startle, looking madly around the cabin. Aliyas was sitting on the other side of the cabin, looking at him like he just vomited all over himself. "You okay?" she asked, "You were moaning in your sleep, then just started screaming."

Cheeks burning with embarrassment, he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a dream," he said absently, leaning back against the seat, "It was just a dream."

Duo took a deep breath. Something about the dream was particularly unnerving. He had experienced dreams like that before; who didn't? No, this was something else. He felt like he had actually been there - only he knew he hadn't. Lately, he would be doing things, and have the distinct feeling he had done them before; only memory would prove him otherwise. He would sometimes tell people things - and be throughly convinced he did, but they would swear up on down he didn't, frustrating him to no end. And although he didn't tell anyone else this, there were a handful of times he would doze off, then wake up in places he didn't recognize, never being able to remember how he got there.

Duo looked out the window; it was already dark outside. He stretched his arms about his head and yawned. "How much longer do we got til we get there?"

Aliyas looked at her watch, "We are almost to the station. From there, we have an hour's long journey on horseback."

"What, no camels?" he asked sarcastically.

The overhead light flickered off and on. Duo looked up curiously at the fixture. "What the hell was that?"

Aliyas put down her Cosmopolitan magazine and looked up, "Who knows. Probably just a glitch."

Thinking the worst, Duo reached into his bag and pulled out his scythes. Seemingly on cue, their car lost all power. Fingers fiddling through slightly moon-lite darkness, he managed to find the door's lock and pry the panels open. He peered out into the hall, but wasn't able to make anything out.

"You see anything?" she asked, attempting to see over his shoulder.

He pushed her back, "Get your guns. Something's not right," he replied quickly, his voice suddenly serious.

Slowly, the two stepped into the tight hallway, but it was difficult to keep their balance. The car swayed violently as it hit a curb hard. Duo braced his right hand on the wall to keep from toppling over. "We aren't suppose to be going this fast," he said, stating the obvious.

"You think so, do you?" Aliyas said, picking herself off the floor.

Duo turned his head to look behind him. "Where are the others?" he asked, eyes fixed on her bluish tinted outline.

"They just left to - " her voice was suddenly muffled - she was being attacked. Duo wanted to punch the person attacking her, but was afraid he'd hit her instead.

Duo reached deep down within himself, unleashing his cold power, actually hoping it was vampires attacking them. "Stop all of you. Drop your weapons. NOW!" Duo commanded, his eyes gleaming dangerously in the darkness.

"Save your magic child," a sweet voice called out through the darkness, "it's not going to work on us."

_'Shit.' _

Duo pushed past the shadowy figure in front of him in a desperate effort to get to the adjacent car. Before he was even halfway to the door, he felt a sharp prick in his neck and fell face first in the floor with a heavy thud. Reaching for the spot, he pulled out a small tranquilizer. Immediately, the moonlight brightened, filling the corridor in a bright blue bath of light.

Although everything was slightly blurry, Duo still recognized the man in front of him - it was a face he would never forget as long as he lived. "You!" he bellowed, voice cracking, "What the hell! Why? W..h.." His head was spinning; everything felt so far away. He tried to pull himself up but his arms gave way under his weight. From the low view of the carpet, he strained to look up as two vampires grabbed him by the shoulders, then everything turned dark.

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Whoa I almost didn't make it on time this month. This was a little shorter than the last chapter. Originally, I designed this chapter and the next as one whole chapter, but realized how incredibly long they would be together. So, I decided to split them up instead. I may be a little longer in posting the next chapter because there are huge chunks I am taking out and/or redoing entirely. That's the reason the story didn't go as far in this chapter. Sorry for the cliffhanger. What can I say? I love the drama! Don't worry, Heero finally comes into the story in the next chapter.

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	4. The Scribe from the Pallintine Tribe

_**Author's Note:** _Trapped in the Pallintine prison, can Duo find a way to escape? Is the boy who's haunting his dreams real?

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _The Scribe from the Pallintine Tribe_¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Relena Peacecraft let out a satisfying breathe of relief. After hours of careful chiseling and brushing, she had finally removed the last grain of sand from the last artifact. This particular project had taken several hours longer than expected, her team's work progressing much slower once the sun had set. The soothing flicker of orange light from the piles of burning wood around the excavation site, on top of the mounting fatigue from hours of scrutinizing work, had left the entire team exhausted, so much so that staying awake was becoming quite a task in itself. Relena, however, seemed quite unfazed.

"There!" she exclaimed excitedly and standing up with a snap, brushing sand off her knees and elbows, "All done! Liam, come have a look!"

Just over the hill stood a cloaked figure. Shrouded in darkness, the person was just out of reach of the campfire light. The slender figure shifted nervously as a tall man in a long, brown robe slid down the side and into the pit as a dozen or so men with shovels crowded around the edge of the hole, gazing in. It was now, or never. The others would be here soon.

The figure raised his right hand and slowly spread his fingers apart, "_Morator_."

As if someone had been watching a video and hit the pause button, the entire excavation team froze in their spots. With a soft whoosh of wind and a small puff of black smoke, the figure disappeared and reappeared in the hole, next to Relena, her face indignantly scrunched up in the middle of a sneeze. The figure chuckled softly at her before walking around to the other side of the closest stone and placing a hand on its rough, ancient surface.

The person mumbled something inaudible, and with a small flash of light, the large stone was gone. The figure placed their hand over what had been, just moments ago, the top of the engraved rock and carefully traced along its former outline. As the figure's hand passed through the air, another large stone, identical to the other materialized in its place. Moving quickly, the person moved from the second stone to the third, replacing each with an identical counterpart.

The person took one final look at their work, then disappeared with a faint puff of black smoke. There was a second's pause, and the frozen excavation team erupted back to life, continuing on as if nothing at all had happened.

_"__Achoo!"_ Relena let out, clasping her hands over her face, "Geez, all this sand is killing my sinuses." She reached into her pocket and grabbed a handkerchief. Wiping her hands, she leaned over and traced her finger around a distinctive hieroglyphic and carefully pronouncing the ancient symbols, "Shi..ni..ga..mi." She frowned and straightened up. "Shinigami," she repeated softly, her eyes darting between the many symbols on the stone's surface, "What is that? A name? Have you ever heard it before, Liam?" She turned and walked over to a thin man on the opposite end of the stone, who was looking rather tired, clenching various scrolls tightly under his left arm.

The man paused for a brief moment before saying, "No m'lady, I don't think I have. At least nothing Egyptian. That word sounds more like something the asians would have used. Are you sure you've pronounced it right?"

Relena walked around to the other side of the stone with the man call Liam right behind her and jabbed a finger into the odd symbols, looking quite irritated that her Egyptian pronunciation was being questioned. Liam leaned over, pushed his glasses up on his nose and wordlessly mouthed the name "Shinigami". "Yes, well.." he said, his eyes scrunched up in concentration, "that does seem to be right..."

Relena gave him a sideways glance with a satisfied look on her face. "And look at this next part," she said, running her finger over several, more familiar looking hieroglyphics, "Bringer of the Dead...And look at this!" She pointed excitedly at the other mark below it, a common triangle filled with odd little marks.

"M'lady," said Liam, his mouth gaping and his glasses dropping to the edge of his nose, "I think we've finally found something."

"Why thank you, Miss Peacecraft," called a female voice from above, "You have saved us a great deal of trouble."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Cold.

It was cold.

Duo could feel the heat of his breath, fogging under his nose against the cold, damp air. His body shuddered violently as a frigid draft whipped over his hot face, forcing him to take in a quick breath. The sharp intake of air revealed to him how incredibly dry his mouth was. Small beads of sweat were collected on his forehead, dampening his long bangs. The greasy stench of unwashed hair drifted into his nostrils, leaving him feeling dirty and disgusted. His body was aching, a numbing pain that made him feel bruised from head to toe. He searched his thoughts, trying to remember what he could have possibly done to warrant his body feeling this horrible. Flashes of recent memories ran through his mind, an unsteady jumble of shouts and movements. Duo's eyes twitched and slowly opened. He cautiously looked around, taking in dark and unfamiliar surroundings.

Straining to open his eyes wider, a sore pain lingered over his swollen eyelids. Dying fire from charred metal torches, close to the dank room's dull gray walls, helped to emit a foul odor from the moldy stones, indicating the true age of the chamber. He was somewhere very old. A pale golden stream of artificial light shot from the small iron gate that was centered in the room's twenty foot ceiling, casting a criss-cross pattern on the dirty floor, providing the underground hole its only illuminating means of light.

To his left, bound to the wall, were various skeletal remains , each clothed in a painfully familiar black outfit, baring the Order of Phytoran's insignia. A hollow feeling tightened around his chest as a little voice in the back of his head laughed at him.

Duo tried to pull himself forward, finding his wrists and ankles were bound to the cold stone wall with thick metal cuffs, providing no means of possible movement other than moving his head around and his chest forward just slightly. He tried moving his fingers in a feeble attempt to reach the keyhole of the cuffs, but they were too numb. "Dammit!" he cursed, and began looking around for anything nearby that could possibly help him escape, but predictably, there was nothing. The dark tomb bared no doors or windows. The only means of entry seemed to be the gate in the ceiling. Duo had never been in one before, but knew what this was: a vampire oubliette, used by the tribes to starve vampire traitors, and, apparently, the occasional hunter or two.

A small, quick movement - more of a change in shadow - out of the corner of his eye, caught the young hunter's attention. Trowa's limp body hung on the wall opposite him, hidden in the dull shadow. Although his head hung down, Duo knew from the long spiky bangs that it was definitely him. Through torn, blood-crusted fabric, Duo could see his friend's chest rising and falling in a ragged, odd manner.

_'He must have fractured ribs.'_

It took a moment for Duo to realize there was someone else beside the injured hunter. It looked like a girl, but he couldn't be sure - after all, he knew better than anyone that long hair didn't automatically mean someone was female. She was laying face down on the dirty floor, not bound to the wall the same way he and Trowa were; by the looks of it she was the lucky one. But, then again, at least Duo was conscious. Her medium blonde hair was matted with dirt and blood, and one of her legs looked badly bruised. She had on a sand colored safari outfit, ripped in several places. Duo was pleased to see that whoever she was, she put up one hell of a fight. He didn't know if the blood in her hair was hers, but the bruises seemed to be the only thing wrong with her, other than the fact she was unconscious.

He looked away from her, glancing around to see if anyone else was in the room. A horrible feeling hit him, causing his stomach to drop when he realized that neither Aliyas, nor any of the other hunters, were in the room with them. He snapped his head around, eyes focused intently on the gate, approaching voices grabbing the young hunter's attention. He bowed his head and quickly feigned sleep. Breathing considerably slower, he continued to listen to the voices above. There were two: one female and one male; both unfamiliar. He listened intently as the archaic words carried into the dungeon through the ceiling gate, reverberating off its smut walls. Because it wasn't required study (as most vampires are turned and do not speak it), his Sanguis was poor, but it sounded like they were talking about some sort of meeting of the House of Erebus.

Before Duo could hear another word, another voice chimed in, booming loudly over the other two. Duo's pulse quickened as the familiar voice spoke in the ancient tongue, firing off a hot stream of harsh words that silenced the other two. It was the voice of Christopherson.With great effort (considering the fact that his fingers were numb), Duo weakly balled his hand into a fist. Somehow, "I told you so" just didn't seem good enough. The backstabbing Councilman was with the vampires on the train that took him. If it wasn't for bad luck, Maxwell would have no luck at all.

_'I knew it! I KNEW IT! I SWEAR, when I get out of here, the first thing I'm going to do is KILL him!'_

Duo did not register the harsh metallic shriek of the gate opening, nor the soft echo of approaching footsteps, his mind, a blurred, broken stream of angry memories, replaying through his head. The emotions invoked by the memories were uncontrollable. His small frame shook with white hot rage. He knew he had to remain calm, but couldn't force himself into doing so. He was lost in a bottomless pit of deep animosity, unable to focus on one single coherent thought. Out of the darkness in his thoughts, a single figure emerged, shining in front of a bath of white light. The person's presence was very soothing, instantly calming him down, and for a brief moment Duo knew everything was going to be alright. The light suddenly faded, the person gone, and in the figure's place, darkness.

Unsure of what just happened, Duo remained still, listening for any kind of sound, and to his relief, heard nothing. There was absolute silence. Had he just imagined it all? After all, he was exhausted. Maybe he had just been dreaming. Could all this just be one big nightmare? If he opened his eyes would he be back on the train, arriving in Rossetta? A familiar hopeless feeling filled up inside him and he couldn't dare test the theory. What if he opened his eyes and he was somewhere else - somewhere worse. With a hard punch to the right side of his face, he didn't have any longer to consider the matter.

"Wake up, you filthy piece of hunter trash," came a husky male voice. Swishing saliva in his mouth, Duo spit out the blood from his busted inner lip on the shoe of the man in front of him. Slowly turning around, he glared hatefully at his attacker. The glare melted off the fevered hunter's face when he looked into the pale face of the attacker, instantly recognizing who the man was.

There was no mistaking it, the tall figure in front of him was none other than the mutinous Milliardo Peacecraft.

The story of how he went from being the youngest hunter to ever receive the rank of Master and quite possibly the most gifted mage in his clan - to becoming a vampire and attributing to the most massive body count the Order of Phytoran has ever had in a single night - was a tragic tale Duo had heard many times before. Milliardo's life was the quintessential example of what happens to those who would do anything for revenge. Without meaning for it to happen, the entire story played through Duo's throbbing head like a bad movie.

_The Peacecrafts were the prized jewel of the Sanq Clan, highly regarded with the Council, producing some of the most brilliant hunters and mages the Order has ever had in its service. They were a distinguished family noted for their pioneering techniques in archeology. Unwavering in their belief that the key to extinguishing the vampire race lay in discovering how they came to be, the Peacecraft family, for centuries, excavated Egypt seeking the magical means to undo the curse, a more logical method than the Order's approach of killing them one by one._

_The entire family: Milliardo's mother, father, sister, aunts, uncles, cousins; lived, untraditionally, in a large house, perfectly dubbed Peacecraft Manor, covering several acres of lush countryside, well away from the urban center of their clan. With the constant reminder of such an impressive family legacy, young Milliardo quickly developed a desperate need to prove himself worthy of the Peacecraft name, avidly studying all aspects of hunting and the white arts. He was a natural warrior. Possessing magic skills exceeding that of some of the most practiced Mages, by age eighteen, he had acquired the rank of Master Hunter, easily making him the best member in his clan. He had everything: good looks, popularity, friends and a loving family. Unfortunately, such is the way of the world that these things are never truly meant to last. One unfaithful December night, sixteen years ago, without warning, and without mercy, mercenaries from the House of Erebus's most ruthless member, the Von Esper tribe, attacked Peacecraft Manor in reprisal for the Sanq Clan's assault on their tribe's local sanction, several months earlier. _

_As fate would have it, Milliardo was not home that night. Several days ago, he had taken his five year old sister, Relena, to Brazil to participate in the Order's annual Maji Trials, a grueling competition that tested potential mages and their natural magical abilities against various tasks, as well as their peers. That morning Milliardo returned home with Relena, disappointed she didn't make the cut. Walking up the front lawn with Relena on his back, he knew something was wrong- the front door was ajar, its red paint was badly scratched and it hung crooked off one of its hinges. He dropped his sister to the ground, and told her to stay put. Closing his eyes, he walked up the stairs slowly, preparing himself for the worst. He stepped cautiously over the threshold and tripped, not over the doorway itself, but something else: a body. The lobby's white walls were grotesquely painted with long, jagged, red streaks and splatters. Scattered all along the floor, his family's lifeless, mangled bodies._

_It was a tragic loss for the Order of Phytoran, one that left the Sanq Clan utterly devastated. Several years past, and the thirst for revenge had consumed Milliardo, and soon there wasn't much left he wouldn't do to get back at those responsible for his family's slaughter. Exhausting himself among various "Order Approved" slaying techniques, he gravely realized he would not be able to wage his personal vendetta, without something a little more powerful. Convinced he had no other choice, he began practicing black magic; fully aware of the repercussions it had on the soul. One does not simply dally in the Dark Arts and expect to come out completely unscathed. It does more than just consume you with animosity, it poisons the purity of the soul. _

_The practice of any of the Dark Arts was an unforgivable act not condoned by the Order of Phytoran, so when they discovered him, he was banished, without so much as an opportunity to explain himself, much less, a second chance. In Milliardo's eyes he had been betrayed by the organization his family gave their lives for, a slap in the face he would not let go unanswered. It was at this time he meet Trieze, who made him an offer he couldn't refuse: revenge against the Von Esper tribe, who long held a grudge with the Pallintines, and more importantly, revenge against the Sanq Clan, a fabled deal signed in blood, that marked the first and only hunter to ever become a vampire. _

_Not much is known about what happened between the two vampire tribes, but the same could not be said about the Sanq Clan. In a single night of bloodshed, the full force of the Pallintine tribe attacked the Sanq Clan. Caught off guard, the clan had no chance of winning the night, ultimately resulting in the largest death toll the Order had ever seen, unrivaled for years, until one fatal night in Los Angeles, five years ago._

Milliardo's story bared a ghastly resemblance to Duo's own tragic past, making the braided hunter almost feel sorry for him, _almost_. The violet eyed hunter looked up at Milliardo menacingly. "This'd better be good," he replied sweetly, smiling his usual cocky smile, "I was having a good dream."

Just as he got the sentence out of his mouth, Duo was hit by Milliardo again. Milliardo sneered hatefully at the violet eyed hunter, his ice blue eyes leering at him distastefully. "I heard you were quite the smart ass. That needs to change because you are going to be here to a very long," the vampire stepped closer, "long," another step closer, "long," he leaned over and whispered in Duo's ear, "time." Milliardo leaned against Duo's neck and graced his extended fangs across his soft skin. Duo closed his eyes, curled his lips with disgust, and jerked his head to the side away from the vampire. Milliardo did not move. "You can help us," he whispered just loud enough for Duo to hear, "Do you understand what the Order of Phytoran really is? What they really do? Whether you know it or not - the Order is not as righteous as it makes itself out to be. They always have an objective, and believe me when I say it doesn't involves saving you or your friends. They can't be trusted."

"And what? I can trust you?" Duo asked incredibly, turning his head to look at Milliardo.

Milliardo straightened up, his face void of any particular emotion as he stared intently at Duo. "You and I are not so different. We -"

"Don't patronize me. I'm nothing like you! You had no right to murder all those people!"

Milliardo moved so fast Duo didn't have a chance to prepare himself for the blow. "You shut your mouth!" he hissed, punching Duo hard in the stomach, "Those fools deserved what they got." Gasping for breath, Duo wrenched inward, preparing for the next blow as the vampire drew back to hit him again.

"Milliardo!" came Christopherson's angry voice, "Stop this at once! You have your orders from Trieze. We need him alive!"

"He'll live, old man. It takes more than that to kill a hunter," he spat, giving Duo a disgusted look, "and after all, I would know. Come on, let's go. There are things to be discussed." Milliardo said. Without another word, the three were ascending towards the gate, climbing some sort of invisible stairway and were gone, leaving Duo wondering just how he was going to get himself out of this one.

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Heavily in thought, Trieze sat leaned back in a large velvet armchair in front a fireplace, absentmindedly running his finger around the edge of his glass of red liquid. He grew tired of putting on this charrade. The reflection of the fire danced unnaturally in his piercing blue eyes. His skin bordered on a ghastly shade of transparency, a consequence of not having touched the sun in the last four thousand some odd years.

The door cracked open and a small pale skin girl with short bright red hair entered. She stood about three and a half foot tall, wearing a light brown knee-length skirt with a plain white button up shirt. She looked like she couldn't be much older than ten. "Mr. Trieze, all the tribe leaders have arrived. They are ready," came her childish voice.

"Thank you, Mariemaia," Trieze replied softly, standing up. He still dressed like someone of the english's old world. Coat and tails, high boots, and tight white pants wrapped his elegant form. He glided over to the door and took her small pale hand. "Let's not keep anyone waiting," he replied.

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Dorothy Catalonia, leader of the Ashe tribe, crossed the room towards an empty seat at the far end of the long stone table. She looked irritated as she sat down, pulling off one of her shoes and dumping the sand inside of it on the floor. In one fluid movement, she flipped her waist long blonde hair over her shoulder, then carefully placed one pale hand on top of the other on top of the rough table. She hated traveling to Egypt, there was nothing but sand, sand and more sand.

The leaders of the House of Erebus only meet like this when there was a matter of great importance. The conference room was over four thousand years old, deciding many events that have shaped the way the vampire nation presently operates. Seated around Dorothy were ten tribe leaders. Each vampire leader had oddly forked eyebrows and a large tattooed hieroglyphic on the back of their neck, identifying each leader to the house they presided over. All the seats were taken save for the one at the end, for the House's last original leader: Trieze.

The rulers were talking quietly among their neighbors until the door to the room opened loudly and Trieze entered the room, still holding Mariemaia's small hand. Christopherson, Lady Une and Milliardo followed right behind him. Several of the leaders hissed at Christopherson, who was still wearing his red Councilman robe.

"What is this? Why is _he _here?" spat Felica, leader of the Lemure tribe, giving Trieze a scathing look.

A soft smile played across Trieze's lips, "_He_ is here because he has information for us. That is all you need to know."

"How dare you!" Felica said, standing up at once, her wood chair scraping the sandy floor. "I think I can decide for myself what I do and don't need to know. Everyone else may be afraid to stand up to you Trieze, but I for one am not!" Several tribe leaders shifted nervously in their seats as Trieze glanced around the table, his lips in a thin smile.

"Trieze! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Felica screamed like she had lost all nerve, "You think all of us should just let you do whatever you want, whenever you want, don't you? I don't care if you are the oldest of our kind, you don't know everything!" Her chest rose and fell quickly, her arms at her sides and her nails digging into her palms. She snapped her arm up and pointed an accusing finger at Christopherson, who had remained quite still through the entire argument. "What can _he_ tell us that we don't already know! _Nothing! _You risk a great deal bringing him here. How do you know he hasn't got the entire Order of Phytoran waiting for us outside? You're a hack! You hav -"

Several leaders were thrown out of their seats as Lady Une charged at Felica, jumping over the table and slamming the Lemure tribe leader against the wall by her neck. "No one speaks to Lord Trieze like that! Now apologize!" Lady Une screamed with a wild look in her eyes. Her grip was firm around Felica's neck and her fangs were bared.

"Lady!" called Trieze, "That's enough!" Lady Une's eyes softened as she released her grip on the other vampire's neck, causing her to collapse onto the floor. Lady Une turned slowly on her spot and turned to face Trieze. "I'm sorry, my Lord," she whispered softly, " I didn't mean -"

"That'll do, Lady." Trieze replied shortly. "Now," he said loudly, "If no one else has anything more to add, I'll get straight to the point. If you all will please follow me." Trieze didn't wait for anyone to say anything else as he marched out the door, followed by Lady Une, Christopherson and Milliardo. Trieze lead the tribe leaders through the tight maze of corridors and into a spacious room. There was no furniture inside, only three large stones that laid on the floor in its center, each one completely covered in hieroglyphics.

He waited to everyone walked through the door before speaking. "None of you know what these are do you?" Without pausing for an answer, Trieze continued, "Missing spells from the _Book of the Dead_ that the Bringer of the Dead used to curse us. But, like so many things, it's what inside that counts." Trieze smiled smartly as he extended his hand towards the door. Several sorcerers came in, their faces concealed behind thick, black cloaks. Following behind them was a female in a similar brown robe with a large leather book in one band and a feather quill in the other. The scribe began scratching the event down in her record book as the sorcerers formed a circle around the middle stone and started chanting. The effect was instantaneous; there was a bright flash of red light and the great stone cracked in half like a nut. Looking over the shoulder of one of the sorcerers, Trieze had to play this just right.

The two halves split down the middle, revealing a hidden chamber shaped as though something should be in it, but instead it was empty. "Where is it?" Trieze asked, almost hysterically, running over to the two halves and running his hands over the hole's walls as if he was hoping to find some sort of invisible artifact.

"Well that was a bit anti-climatic," snickered Felica from within the group of onlooking tribe leaders.

Trieze glanced around the room and noticed something that unnerved him. He counted eleven heads, where there should have been twelve. "Who's not here? Reveal yourselves now!" Trieze yelled. Some of the sorcerers obey the order at once, others looked a little hesitant. Trieze walked past them, looking each of them in the eye. He pasted the last sorcerer and turned around. His mind reeled through several explanations, but none seemed to fit. "Why is Heero Yuy not with you?" he demanded. "An event this important and he decides it's not worth his time?"

"That's not it my Lord," the scribe said at once.

Everyone in the room turned around and looked at her. "Well?" Trieze said, staring at her blankly, "Why don't you grace us with your knowledge?"

"He didn't know about the meeting, my Lord," she explained quickly, backing up.

"Oh, is that all?" Trieze said lightly before contorting his face in barely controllable anger and yelling, "Then why don't you go make him aware!"

"I can't, my Lord" she said quietly, trembling something awful.

"Are you saying you won't!" Trieze demanded, losing patience with the girl's vague answers.

"N-no my Lord. I'm not saying I w-won't. I'm saying I c-c-can't," she stuttered as Trieze advanced on her, a dangerous look in his eyes, "he's...he's..missing."

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Duo twisted his hands and contorted his fingers in various positions, attempting to squeeze through the metal bindings, but it was no use. Frustrated, he let out a loud sign and cursed, jerking his chains hard, "Damn it! Shit!" At that moment, across the room, Duo heard a faint groaning. It was Trowa. He was finally waking up. "Trowa!" Duo exclaimed, "You're awake!"

Sharp pains in his chest prevented Trowa from speaking clearly. "Yeah...kinda...owww..wish I had...sssss...stayed unconscious." Trowa replied weakly between gasps for air.

Duo looked over to girl he assumed was Relena, who was still unconscious. "Trowa, do you know what happened to Aliyas? She's not here." he called.

Trowa raised his head up slowly, the action requiring every once of strength he had. "On the wall behind you," Trowa took a sharp breath, wrenched forward just slightly, and bowed his head again, "She looks bad."

"What about Marshall?" Duo asked, although part of him already knew the answer.

Trowa's voice was softer, his breathing more shallow, "Dead."

"What about the mages?" Duo pressed on, hoping Trowa had some answers.

"I...don't...I...don't know," came his weak reply, followed by a fit of violent coughing, then his body hung limp once more.

"Trowa?" Duo asked.

Silence.

"Trowa!" he pleaded.

Still nothing.

The spiky haired hunter had lost consciousness again. There was a loud metallic screech as the ceiling door was pulled open. Milliardo dropped into the chamber and landed lightly on his feet with ease, his thin lips curling into an unpleasant smile. "Lord Trieze requires your assistance," he said.

"You tell him he'll have to call and make an appointment just like everyone else," Duo said with a lopsided smirk.

Milliardo snorted. "What? Is that suppose to be funny? I think you've lost your touch."

"I may have lost my touch, but at least I haven't lost my soul," said Duo coldly, giving Milliardo a disgusted look.

"No, you haven't." the vampire said quietly, lowering his eyes. "At least, not yet..." Duo's eyes widened as Milliardo began walking towards him.

"You stay the hell away from me!" Duo screamed, jerking at his bindings, his violet eyes glowing in the darkness. Maybe he was strong enough. Milliardo was a turned vampire. Maybe Duo could get the magic to work. Milliardo only laughed.

"Your cheap trick won't work on me. I know magics you haven't even heard of. So don't embarrass yourself," he said, punching Duo across the face several times, until Duo could barely hold his head up. Milliardo grabbed him by the bangs and forced his head back. "You think you're so much better than me?" he said savagely, "You're only alive because Trieze thinks we need you. But you're not part of the solution, _hunter_. You're part of the problem. Let's see how much of a savior you are without a soul, then our fate will be your own." Milliardo leaned in and slid his teeth into the hunter's neck. As the sharp pain throbbed up his neck, Duo could feel the life leaving him. Everything felt colder. The former hunter released Duo's bangs and pulled away. Duo peered up through his sweaty bangs as Milliardo punctured his wrist with one of his incisors, and brought it close to his mouth. "It won't hurt for long," the vampire whispered.

Duo shook his head violently back and forth, his eyes closed tightly and his mouth curled inward and shut. Duo was too exhausted to fight back as Milliardo pressed his left hand across his face, jerking it to the side to expose his punctured neck. "NO!" he screamed as Milliardo pressed his bleeding wrist against his injured neck, mixing their blood together.

A writhing pain twisted its way down from his neck to his right arm as the vampiric blood began pumping its way through Duo's body. His violet eyes rolled into the back of his head as the change began to take hold of him. He tried to fight it, but the pain was like nothing he had ever felt before, like dull razor blades running through his veins. He could hear loud shouting and flashes of light as bodies rushed around him. Everything felt like a dream. He felt his bindings release him as he fell to the cold, sandy floor, hitting his head and losing consciousness.

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Trowa opened his eyes. He was no longer bound to the wall, but in a bed. He pushed the covers down and sat up slowly. Looking down, he could see his entire middle was covered in layers of white gauze. Beside his bed was a machine taking his vital signs. He knew that if he was receiving medical attention then they must have been rescued. He looked at the bed beside him. He barely recognized Aliyas. She had on a couple of different casts: one around her neck and one on her right arm. White bandages covered most of her bruised face. The rest of her was under covers, so Trowa couldn't see if she had any additional injuries.

_'Where am I?'_

Trowa glanced around the room. It was bare, save for some metal cabinets and drawers, along with a few other pieces of necessary medical equipment. There were no decorations, portraits, or tacky wallpaper for that matter. The walls were lined with a shiny silver material. Looking over the side of the bed, Trowa could see that the same material made up the floor in neat squares.

_'This isn't a public hospital.'_

Trowa rubbed his aching ribs and gently laid himself back on the bed. He stared up at the slow rotating metal blades of the ceiling fan. He lay there for a moment before coming to an unpleasant realization. Duo wasn't there. He sat up quickly, trying to ignore the heavy pressure in his chest. "Duo!" Trowa exclaimed as he threw the covers off his body and tossed his legs to the side. His socks were slippery against the slick floor. Before he could react properly, his right foot slide out from under him. Without time to think, Trowa grabbed the monitoring device attached to him. The equipment, along with Trowa, fell to the floor in a loud crash.

In the midst of the fall he had hit his head on the corner of the metal bed railing. "Urgh...Owwww." Trowa reached to rub the back of his throbbing head. He felt something wet and pulled his hand away. He looked grimly at his blood smeared palm and placed it on the cool floor to push himself up. The door to the room opened with a rush of air as Trowa heard someone run towards him.

"Trowa! What happened? You need to be resting after all you've been through! What were you thinking! Geez, you're bleeding! Here, let me help you up!"

Trowa closed his eyes and smiled softly, "It's good to see you, Quatre."

Quatre sat Trowa on the edge of the bed. Without a word, the blonde began to rummage through the nearby drawers and returned shortly to Trowa's side, clenching a roll of white gauze. He smiled faintly, "I'm glad you made it Trowa. I was worried about you," he squeezed the bandages tightly, "I could feel your pain, but couldn't do anything to help you. Some leader I am. I put you in great danger and for that I'm sorry." He looked down at the bandages, unraveled the roll, and carefully began wrapping Trowa's head injury.

"There," said Quatre quietly, smiling softly. Quatre stood to replace the bandages in the drawer, but Trowa reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him back down. Quatre let out a faint gasp at the unexpected gesture. "Quatre," Trowa reached out and put a finger under his chin forcing him to look him in the face, "Hey, look at me. You are an excellent leader. Your kindness gives everyone strength. It reminds us all that there is good in the world worth saving. For that, I thank you."

"Thank you, Trowa," Quatre said faintly, "Please, lay down. You need your rest."

Trowa smiled weakly at the small blonde and slowly lowered his body back on the stiff bed. "Thank you Quatre." For a moment Trowa almost forgot about Duo. "Quatre, what about Duo? Is he okay?" Trowa asked in a hastened almost panicked tone. A hurt expression played across the clan leader's cherub features.

"He's alive. He was in shock when we got to him. Milliardo bit him. A friend was able to stop the change in time, but he lost a lot of blood. He's in a coma. You are the first to wake up. You've been out of it for two days, " Quatre trailed off looking at the ground.

"Stopped the change?" Trowa repeated, "But that's not possible. Is it?"

"Don't worry about that now. Rest. We'll talk about it later, I promise."

"Just let me see Duo first," Trowa said and started to push himself up, but Quatre immediately grabbed his shoulders and held him down.

"Trowa, no. You need to rest. Duo will be fine. You can see him when you get some rest and something to eat. For now, you have to think about yourself. Don't worry about Duo. He's being well taken care of."

Trowa relaxed his body and Quatre let go of him. Quatre pushed Trowa's damp bangs from his forehead and pulled the blanket over him. Trowa closed his eyes, trying not to think about anything, while Quatre stayed and watched over him until he finally fell asleep.

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Two weeks passed. Magic helped the injured heal faster and Trowa's ribs were almost good as new. Aliyas had awoke shortly after Trowa. Although her injury's were a great deal more serious than the spiky haired hunter's, she had still made great progress. Duo, however, remained in a coma. His bruises had almost completely healed, and his cuts were gone. But his puncture wounds remained. And there are still some wounds that ran much deeper.

Over the past couple of weeks, Trowa got to know the oldest clan in the Order of Phytoran, the Maganac Clan. As soon as Quatre knew the mission had gone wrong, he contacted them immediately for a rescue operation. The Maganac Clan was extremely fond of Quatre. The hunter always had to suppress a snicker when they called him "Master Quatre."

Rashid was the clan leader of the Maganac Clan. Standing well over six and a half feet tall, he was a big burly man with dark skin and black hair. It was quite funny looking to see the two in matching white robes stand beside each other. Quatre only came up to Rashid's chest. Quatre was Rashid's perfect opposite, with white blonde hair, big aqua marine eyes, and pale flawless skin.

Staying with the Maganac Clan as well was Relena Peacecraft. Trowa was with Quatre the day she regained consciousness. It took her about a week before she would finally tell them what exactly happened to her. She told them of how she had just uncovered the last stone when the vampires had attacked her team, killing all of them. Quatre explained to Trowa that he shouldn't ask her anything else about it because it probably reminded her a lot of when her family was killed. But after another week, she was finally up to telling them what she learned from the engravings on the artifacts.

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Trowa was reading a book to Duo when there was a knock at the door. Trowa folded down the corner of the page and set the book on the nightstand next to Duo's bed. Trowa opened the door to find a boy about his age and height cloaked in black, his face covered in the shadows of the light behind him, "The clan is having a meeting. I was sent to watch over Duo while you attend." Trowa eyed the stranger suspiciously. He didn't like the idea of leaving Duo with someone he didn't know. Just then, Quatre appeared at the door. "Trowa, come on. We'll be late. It's fine. I know him. He can be trusted. Let's go." Quatre turned and began walking down the hall.

Trowa didn't say anything, but continued looking at the boy. Something about him seemed wrong. But what that was exactly, Trowa couldn't quite put his finger on. "Trowa!" Quatre called from the end of the hall, his voice bouncing off the walls. He began walking towards the blonde but took a final look at the stranger before leaving the room. "I'm coming."

The messenger entered the room and shut the door quietly behind him. He walked over and sat in the uncomfortable metal chair in the corner. He looked over at the thin body on the bed. He looked so peaceful, like he was in a perfect slumber. On the inside, however, Duo was anything but.

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_Duo looked down at his hands. They were covered in blood, someone else's blood. He looked down at the body that lay down face first in the sand. He crouched down and turned the body over slowly. The man had the most horrible, twisted expression on his face. His jaw was wrenched opened lopsided and his eyes were wide open in terror. Duo trembled as he stood up and walked towards the stone temple. Bloody hand prints were visible on the walls from a distance. Duo stopped and stared at the ghostly, forbidding flames flickering along the walls of the entrance way to the temple. A strong smell filled the air. It was the metallic smell of blood, a smell he knew too well; the smell of death. Duo swallowed the lump in his throat and ascended the stairs. Nothing could prepare him for what was beyond the stone archway. _

_Duo's eyes widened in shock. Mangled bodies littered the floor. Blood was splattered on the wall in long, heavy slashes, a grim contrast against the sand colored stones. Limbs were scattered about in pools of blood. Duo covered his mouth, "No! They're all dead." Tears spilled down his cheeks as he took off running out of the temple and into the night. He ran through the sands as fast as he could. He had to go faster. He had to get there and he had to get there now. _

_Over the next sand dome he saw the temple he was looking for. He followed the dimly illuminated corridor to the center of the chamber. Ahead was a darkened figure that didn't look human. The thing had a long snout and thin pointy ears that stood straight up. The monster's eyes glowed bright red as he dropped something large on the ground. Duo put a hand up to shield his eyes as the temple was engulfed in a blinding white light. When he moved his hand the thing was gone. _

_Duo ran over to the large bundle of robes in the center of the tomb. He pushed the cloth to the side. It was a boy, his bright blue eyes staring straight ahead, lifeless. He suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of grief wash him. He never felt so much pain run through his body. He didn't know why he felt so badly. He cradled the limp form in his arms, rocking back and forth in the floor. He ran his fingers through the boy's blood soaked hair, pulling it away his face. He was so beautiful. Duo raised his hand and placed it on the boy's cheek. His skin was still warm. He took his thumb and brushed the boy's bottom lip. _

_He had the most overwhelming urge to lean down and kiss the boy. He closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss him softly. Their lips touched and Duo opened his eyes widely and withdrew quickly in shock. Duo blinked. Something was...wrong with him. He let out a gasp when he realized it. "Your soul," he leaned over, as tears welled up in his eyes. He whispered into the boy's neck, "they took it."_

_He tightened his grip on the lifeless form in his arms. Anger poured through his veins, spreading through his body like fire. Tears burned his eyes, spilling down his cheeks. Why did he feel this way? Who was this boy? Duo didn't understand anything that was happening. He buried his face in the boy's chest, sobbing uncontrollably and screamed._

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Duo's eyes shot open. He sat up, out of breath, madly looking around. The room was dark, only the faint blue light from the machines beside the bed illuminated the darkness. Duo's violet eyes shot towards the corner as a shadowy figure rose up and spoke, "You're finally awake."

Duo was paralyzed to move. There was something inexplicably familiar to his voice. The hunter watched the hooded figure as he stood up and walked over to the end of his bed. Duo squeezed his bedsheets tightly, as he kept his eyes on the dark figure. He felt something strange as the person moved closer.

"Do I," Duo stuttered, "Do I know you?"

The hooded figure shook his head, "I don't think so," the voice replied in a deep, dull monotone, "this is the first time we've met."

The voice sounded masculine, but young. "Who are you?" Duo demanded. He jerked his head to the left and right trying to determine where he was, "And where am I?"

The figure remained still, "You are in Cairo with the Maganac Clan. They rescued you two weeks ago from the Pallintine prison."

Duo pulled his knees up to his chest, propped his elbow on his knee, and covered one side of his face with his hand. The sound of his name caused him to look up.

"Duo, do you remember anything that has happened?" Duo looked away from the boy. He could see everything clearly in his mind. Milliardo opened his cell and walked towards him. The smell of vampire's hair as he leaned in and bit his neck. Duo shook his head quickly from side to side to jerk himself out of the horrible memory. He did not want to remember any of it. Duo looked emotionally destroyed as he reached up and touched where he had been bitten.

"So you do remember," the boy replied, his voice uncaring, "I stopped the change before you were completely turned. You are lucky. Any longer and you would have been beyond my help."

"I'm not a vampire..." Duo whispered quietly to himself.

"But, how?" Duo shook his head slightly and closed his eyes, like maybe he didn't hear the boy right. "That's impossible," Duo replied in disbelief, "There isn't anything you can do for someone once they've been exposed to vampire blood. Everyone knows that."

The boy let out a broken snicker, "Just because the Order doesn't know how to cure someone doesn't mean it can't be done," he replied in an amused tone. Duo didn't know what to make of the statement. Nothing the boy was saying was making any sense. Duo watched uneasily as the cloaked silhouette moved in and out of the shadows.

"You aren't with the Order then?"

"Not exactly," came the boy's open-ended explanation, "But I am here to help you."

Duo knew he couldn't trust the Order of Phytoran anymore. If Christoperson was working for them, Duo couldn't be sure who else on the Council had betrayed them. He didn't have a choice but to listen to what the boy had to say. Besides, there was something about him. "Who are you then? And how do you know my name?" Duo demanded.

"My name is Heero Yuy," the boy moved forward slightly, the light from the monitor taking vitals slightly illuminated his features, "I am a sorcerer and scribe for the Pallintine tribe. For twe -" the explanation was interrupted by Duo's screaming voice.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a second!" Duo yelled, pointing his index finger in the air, "You're a vampire! Oh _hell_ no! Ya gotta be kidding me! Unbelievable!" Duo ripped his covers to the side, throwing them to the floor in a huff, "I'm getting the fuck out of here,_ right now_!"

"No. Duo, listen. I'm not a vampire" the boy said, stepping in front of Duo and blocking his way to the door.

"Oh, you're not then? Yeah, you're a human, and they just let you work for them. Right... Look, ya got two seconds to move and then I'm gonna have to kill ya."

"I wanna help you, Duo. Believe me, I know what you've been through. I want to see the vampire nation wiped out just as much as you do."

"Tell me this then. What's someone who wants to kill the vampires doing working for them?," said Duo, laughing, "You just couldn't find another job?"

"No."

Duo smirked. "_No_?"

"No." repeated Heero. "It's not that simple."

Duo shook his head softly from side to side, his voice harsh. "Oh, but it is. Look, I want nothing to do with Trieze or his lackies. So why don't you just get out of my way."

"I can't do that." the guy said firmly.

"Fine pal, we'll just do this the hard way." Duo lunged forward, his movements swift and precise. His fist connected hard with the guy's stomach. Swinging around, he kicked the boy in the chest. The boy stumbled backwards. Violet eyes flashed dangerously as he grabbed the boy's neck with one hand and pinned him to the wall. Keeping his hand around the boy's neck, Duo turned and threw him to the ground behind him. The boy's hood flew down as Duo pinned him to the ground by his wrists.

Duo's angry expression melted off his face as he stared at the boy in shock. He examined every inch of Heero's face, taking in his striking features. He had thick messy chocolate brown hair and perfect skin. But that's not what Duo noticed first, it was his mesmerizing blue eyes. Duo flashed back to the image of him leaning in and kissing the boy.

_'It's the boy from my dream.'_

Duo felt all the blood rush out of his face. He felt like he was going to be sick. Duo suddenly became very aware of his hands touching Heero and jumped up, backing away from him like he had a deadly disease. Heero sat up, coughing and rubbing his neck.

"Who are you!" Duo demanded swiftly, his violet eyes wide. How could he have had a dream about someone he's never met?

"I've already told you." Heero replied cautiously, keeping his distance from the raving hunter.

"No, I've seen you before," Duo said quietly, staring into Heero's blue eyes, "in a dream."

"In a dream?" Heero asked, concerned, "What kind of dream?"

Duo blushed a pleasant shade of pink. He was not about the reveal to the boy that the dream involved him kissing him. What kind of straight guy dreams about kissing guys?

"What kind of dream?" Heero repeated, sounding more serious.

"Oh!" said Duo, looking at his feet, trying to sound casual, "Nothing important or anything. I just remember seeing your face that's all." Duo looked up and nearly jumped when he realized Heero was now standing right in front of him.

"Can I see it?" Heero asked.

"What!" Duo screamed indignantly, "No!"

"But you just said it wasn't anything important." Heero said irritably, giving the hunter a puzzled look.

"Well, you still can't see it!" Duo said quickly, shifting nervously under the boy's gaze, "People's dreams are private. You just don't go around asking someone to show them to you! What's wrong with you!"

Heero stepped closer to Duo, leaving only a foot's space between them. "I didn't mean to offend you...It's just..I've had a dream about you, your face, before I ever met you. I could show you mine. If that's alright with you."

Duo wanted to tell him no, but his mouth was moving without reason. "Sure," he said nervously.

Heero raised his hands up and Duo took a step back. "It's not going to hurt you," Heero said, "I just need to put my hands on the sides of your head and you'll need to do the same to me." Duo wiped his sweaty hands on his pants and tentatively reach out his hands out for the boy's head. A part of him was saying "What the hell are you doing, stupid?" and another part was saying, "You gotta know."

"Now, we press our foreheads together," Heero explained. Duo smiled nervously at how ridiculous they must have looked together. He closed his eyes. As soon as the boys touched, all sorts of images flashed into Duo's mind: Heero standing in a temple waiting, something attacking him in the darkness, Duo running in, then leaning in and kissing him. Duo's eyes shot wide open. Heero's lips were on his.

Duo pushed him away, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "What the hell are you doing!" he demanded.

Heero looked at him equally as shocked. "I don't know what just happened."

"I know what happened!" Duo shouted, "You tricked me into showing you my dream and then you kissed me!"

Heero backed away from Duo, looking troubled now. "No, that wasn't your dream. That was my dream."

"You're lying" said Duo in disbelief, his violet eyes searching Heero's blue ones for some sign of confirmation. "How the hell could we both have had the same dream?"

Heero shook his head slowly back and forth, "I don't know."

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Thanks to all who have waited for this chapter to post. I know it wasn't on time; it required major editing, you see. Unfortunately, the next chapter probably won't be up any time soon (I haven't written it yet, although I have plenty of ideas for it). I also have some more fan art I need to finish and post. www (dot) geocities (dot) com (backslash) shinigamiange1. Thank you for all the fans that have reviewed since the first chapter. I love you all.

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	5. The Mistaken Prophecy

_**Author's Note:**_ I know you all thought I wasn't going to finish this fic, but believe me I am. It's just going to take some time. I have a very demanding life and not a lot of free time. Thanks to all my loyal readers who have been with me from the start. I love you all. Visit www (dot) geocities (dot) com (backslash) shinigamiange1 for my fanart.

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _The Mistaken Prophecy_¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Duo was lying in bed, watching the ceiling fan rotate, the (what he now liked to call) "incident" with Heero running through his mind for the thousandth time this week. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't stop thinking about it. He had tried everything to get it out of his head. What was wrong with him? Why was he thinking about it so much? Why couldn't he just forget it ever happened? He hadn't had a full night's sleep in over two weeks. Every night was the same; nightmares of dark corridors and the haunting image of Heero's lifeless eyes gazing up from his bloodstained face.

Duo would give anything to take a knife and surgically carve the meeting of Heero Yuy out of his life. Since he met him, Duo was second guessing himself for the first time in his life. He couldn't shake the feeling he felt when he thought about kissing Heero. He had thought he liked girls. Guys are suppose to like girls. The truth be told, Duo never really thought about the matter that close before. He always had too many other, more important things to worry about. Things never turned out well for people that were close to him.

And now he was having all these feelings, something strange, pulling beneath the surface. But he hadn't seen Heero, much less been able to talk to him or yell at him since the "incident" nearly two weeks ago. Duo would be walking down the hall and see the mysterious young man turn the corner, only when Duo reached the turn, Heero would be gone. At first Duo thought he was losing his mind, but then he overheard Quatre explaining to Trowa that Heero had a lot of things he was trying to figure out and he would be coming and going a lot. Duo wanted desperately to ask Quatre and Trowa what it was that Heero was doing exactly, but after he found out the truth about their mission to Rossetta, he was doubtful he would ever talk to either one of them again.

,.•´)•(•.¸

_"What! You **let** them offer me up as bait? I can't believe you Quatre. How could you just stand by and let the Council send those people to die? Did anyone here actually think the vampires wouldn't see through exactly what the Order was trying to do? Did you all forget who you are dealing with? Even vampires are not that stupid. And when he was on the inside did Christopherson learn anything about Celes's prophecy that you **people," **he spat the word venomously, **"**didn't know already? NO! And not that he would actually tell you if he did, right? Oh, and I'm sure the vampires just let him join right back with us no questions asked, right? What makes you so sure he's really on our side? And **you**!" Duo screamed, pointing a shaking finger at Trowa, who has remained silent the entire time, "You knew! The whole time you knew!" Duo shook his head slowly in sheer disbelief. "You knew about Christopherson, this whole idiotic plan, everything! How could you do this to me? You were suppose to be my best friend. I trusted you!"_

_Duo's words cut like a hot knife though butter. Trowa opened his mouth, but no words came out. "He couldn't tell you!" Quatre yelled in a rush, stepping defensively in front of Trowa, "The Council knew you'd never go along with it. No one was suppose to die! We had no way to foresee this was going to happen." _

_A mad smile spread across Duo's face and despite everything, he threw his head back and began to laugh. "Oh, you mean to say that the great oracles, the ones you put so much faith in, had no clue this was going to happen!" _

_"Don't you do that. You know the oracles don't have control over the visions they get,"Quatre said furiously, "This wasn't their fault. If anyone's to blame it's me."_

_"Oh, don't worry. I absolutely blame you. You stupid, self-righteous fool - You think you know everything, don't you?"_

_Quatre let out a deep breath, his tired eyes fixed on Duo. He tried to gather his thoughts. He knew, however, that he was fighting a losing battle. "I know you hate me right now. Please believe me Duo, I never wanted them to do this to you. There was-"_

_"Just forget it,"Duo said quietly, turning around, "It doesn't matter anymore. **None** of it matters anymore." _

_"Duo.." _

_"Save it, Trowa. I've got nothing more to say to you. Both of you out. Now."_

,.•´)•(•.¸_  
_

Duo took a deep breath and rolled over. He didn't know what to do. He didn't really have a whole lot of options - he never did. He wanted to get as far away from the Order of Phytoran as possible. Away from Trowa, Quatre, all the killing, everything. He just wanted to run away and start a brand new life somewhere far away from here. He reluctantly pushed the images of warm white sandy beaches and a nice refreshingly cool drink out of his mind. He knew deep down inside he was in far greater danger outside of the Order. There was no running from the vampires, no escape. They would find him. Sooner or later, they would hunt him down. He couldn't keep looking over his shoulder the rest of his life. So, until he could think of a better plan, he decided to stay with the Maganac Clan, content on locking himself inside his room all day like a caveman, refusing to come out except to swipe something to eat from the kitchens.

He had never been so bored before in his entire life. There was no tv, no one to talk to, nothing. Nothing, but time; time to think about the crappy situation he'd managed to get himself stuck into. He reached over the side of his bed to the nightstand, opening a small drawer and pulling out a small sharpening stone. He looked at the gray square, then to his scythes on top of the nightstand. More than once, he had thought about faking his own death, but every time he tried to think of ways to do it, without meaning for it to happen, Duo's mind would always drift back to the "incident".

He had already sharpened his weapons enough to split hairs. Quickly changing his mind, Duo dropped the stone back into the drawer and slammed it hard. He fell back on the bed and propped his hands behind his head. He tried to think about Hilde. They were eleven when they were going out. He wanted to kiss her, right? He liked looking at boobs sure enough. Duo tried hard to imagine a naked girl, laying on the bed, but it was no good. The startled look on Heero Yuy's face when Duo had pushed him off of him came drifting into his mind instead. Frustrated, Duo reached over, grabbed a pillow, hugged it over his face and screamed.

"What's wrong?"

Duo's heart skipped a beat. He threw the pillow to the side and sat up to find Heero standing at the edge of his bed, looking down at him with a scowl on his face. He was looking less lively than he had been the first time Duo saw him. His face was faintly pale and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. His brow was scrunched up, making him look either highly pissed off or very stressed out, but Duo couldn't tell which.

"What are you doing here?" Duo demanded, looking around to see if anyone else was in the room.

"Why were you screaming into your pillow?" Heero asked dully.

He had entered his room without permission. The hunter felt his face starting to burn. "Why do you care?"

Heero's brow etched inward a little further. '_Why did he have to ask that? Can't he just answer the stupid question?' _

"I just want to know if you are hurt."

Duo's right hand twitch instinctively for the nightstand. "I'm fine."

"Don't."

"What?"

"Don't do it."

"Don't do what? What are you talking about man?"

Heero eyes swifted to the nightstand. He held out his arm and the two weapons flew into his outstretched hand. He folded his arms, his long black sleeves fell over the short handled blades. When he put his arms down they were gone.

"Hey!" Duo yelled, watching his most prized possessions disappear. "What the hell is wrong with you? Give me back my stuff right now!"

"I'm not going to attack you, so you won't be needing them." Heero said evenly.

Duo could feel his hands and feet going cold. He didn't like being defenseless and alone in the presence of someone he didn't trust, someone who haunted his dreams, a boy that had kissed him... There was an aura about him that was downright frightening. Duo had been around many powerful mages before, but never felt anything this intense. "What do you want? Huh? Come to see if I wanted to make out with you?"

Heero's cold eyes gleamed dangerously. "No. Like I said before, I didn't mean for that to happen." His young face looked prematurely creased and worn. The way he spoke was so mechanical, almost like he was following an invisible script. One thing for sure, Heero Yuy certainly wasn't ever going to win a personality contest.

"Yeah, I'm sure you had noooo idea what you were doing," Duo replied sarcastically. He changed his tone to a more dangerous one and lowered his eyes on the young man in front of him. "I think you need to leave."

"No."

"Yes." Duo pushed himself off the bed and walked up to the cloaked figure in front of him. "Let's get one thing straight. I don't know what you've come here for and I don't care. You're just as bad as Quatre and Trowa - Flat out lying to people to their face and then just expect them to magically forget what happened the next day and up and trust you again. I can't -"

"I've never lied to you."

"Oh, please!" Duo lowered his voice to imitate Heero's, speaking roughly and indifferent. "That wasn't your dream. That was my dream."

Heero glared at Duo, without the slightest hint of amusement on his face. "That was an accident. I thought I'd told you that."

It was like breaking a twig, something inside Duo snapped. Who did he think he was? "You don't just _accidentally_ kiss people!" he bellowed. He scowled hard and shook his head. "NO! Just forget it! GET OUT! I'm sick of it - all of it! The constant lies, being manipulated, never knowing what's going on, all because of some stupid, fake prophecy that no one even knows what it really says, no one knows where to look, people always dying for no reason! I've had enough! NOW LEAVE! GO!"

A tinge of confusion slid onto Heero's hard face. "What?" he said softly, "You don't know? How can it be that you don't know?"

The doors burst open and in rushed Quatre, Trowa and half a dozen hunters with their weapons drawn. "Heero! What are you doing here?" Quatre gasped, trying to get a quick grasp on the obviously hostile situation between the two. Duo face was flushed and something about Heero made him look like he had just vomited. "Duo, Heero, what's going on?" Quatre demanded stiffly.

"He," Duo said in a huff, jabbing a finger at Heero, "and _you_ with your slaying posse were just leaving."

Heero turned to Quatre. "Quatre, why doesn't he know?"

"Everybody OUT!" Duo screamed at the top of his lungs, causing several of the hunters to flinch.

"Why doesn't he know _what_ exactly?" Quatre asked, cringing from Duo's increasingly louder protests.

"DID YOU HEAR ME! I'M NOT TALKING TO MYSELF HERE!"

Heero's lips drew into a very thin line, under his increasing annoyance. "Stop shouting, Duo. I can't hear. Quatre, the prophe-"

"YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! NOW GET OUT! **OUT! OUT! OUT!**"

"DUO!" Quatre and Heero shouted in unison. Duo clamped his mouth shut as tight as he could, crossed his arms, forcibly plopped down on his bed and settled for punching the crap out of the both of them in his head. Quatre shook his head dismissively. "Yes, Heero. What about it?" he asked irritably.

"He doesn't know what it says."

Quatre stared dumbly at Heero for a moment. He had expected the scribe to say something else. Something about maybe the progress he's made, something about what the Pallintine Tribe was up to, anything, but _that_. No one in the Order knew what the vampires knew about Celes's prophecy, so Quatre had purposely avoided discussing it with Heero. It's not that he didn't trust him, he just didn't want to disclose the information if it was not necessary. Quatre decided to be vague. "He knows what we know."

Quatre let out a deep breath. He knew at any moment Duo was going to start yelling again. Mentioning anything about Celes's prophecy in front of Duo Maxwell was a good way to bust an eardrum. Quatre cautiously shifted his eyes to Duo, expecting him to say something, but he was just staring at the wall. With the look he was giving it, Quatre was highly impressed it didn't burst into flame.

However, Quatre's answer wasn't the response Heero was looking for. "I don't have time for games. Why hasn't anyone told him?"

Quatre put his hands irritably on his hips. What kind of leader did Heero think he was? "Of course someone has told him. Why wouldn't we?" he fumed.

Heero turned to face Duo. "Why did you lie?"

Duo stopped looking down the wall and slowly turned to face Heero. He looked as though he'd been slapped in the face. If he wasn't the most pissed off he had ever been in his life before, then he most definitely was now. "Let's get one thing straight," he growled, jumping to his feet. Heero didn't know it, but he had just crossed the line. No one called Duo a liar. No one. "I didn't lie about _anything_. You didn't listen to what I was saying. I **_said_** that no one _really_ knows what it says, because _they_ don't. Ask the Winner Wonder yourself, they only have half of the stupid thing - No, not even half, more like a quarter of it. And they think I am the person who it says can defeat the vampires because I am the first person they came in contact to with violet eyes. They're idiots. How can -"

Heero had stopped listening beyond that point. As Duo continued ranting on and on, everything Heero had been trying to piece together for the past two weeks just fell into place. He had always questioned why the Order of Phytoran had let Duo out on the streets to fight and why they hadn't ever tested him in any magical fashion. Because if they had, they would have known the truth and surely made their move by now. He could only come to one conclusion: They don't know the prophecy's true nature. Duo's painfully loud voice slowly began coming back into focus. " - setting them up to die and I'm sick of it! So fuck all of you!"

Heero looked at Quatre, who had one arm folded across his middle with the other arm's elbow resting upon it, and massaging his temples with his fingertips. "You have got it all wrong," the scribe said with an unsettled look.

"Damn right you do!" Duo shouted, "At least he agrees with me!"

"No. That's not what I'm talking about. The prophecy, _it's_ wrong."

"Wrong? What's wrong about it?" said Trowa.

"It doesn't say what you think it says," Heero said firmly, "Celes Winner never said anything about anyone with violet eyes being able to _defeat_ the vampires. She merely foretold the birth of the person who _created_ the vampires."

Quatre's face went slack. He looked momentarily dumbfounded as he tried to grasp what was just said. From under his hood, the scribe's blue eyes stared at him coldly. Quatre rolled the statement in his mind. "Are you listening to yourself? The birth of the person who created the vampires? That doesn't make any sense."

"Well," Heero explained, " it's the person's _rebirth_ actually." Duo sunk back onto the bed.

"Rebirth?" Trowa whispered.

"Where did you come across this information?" Quatre demanded, "Why do you believe it says _that_?"

"Because," Heero said slowly, "I have it."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Miles away, Trieze Kushrenada serpentined through the group of crouched vampires in front of him, dragging a long scimitar behind him. He turned quickly on his heel and with one swift stroke, beheaded the first vampire the blade came into contact with, sending ash filtering through the small room. The others did not dare move. The Vampire King was obviously not happy. "Let this be a warning that I will not tolerate no further failures. I want Heero Yuy found, and I want him found now."

"Yes, Lord." They whispered.

"Now go. But you," he said pointing to one of them, "You will stay." With instantaneous puffs of faint black smoke, the vampires disappeared, leaving behind only one.

"Do I dare even ask you what is going on in your head, Milliardo. Have you forgotten what's at stake here, for all of us?" he asked lightly.

"I have not, my Lord, but -"

"Then why," Trieze shouted, "did you attack that boy? Lady saw it with her own eyes, so don't you _dare_ try and deny it. Do you realize what you could have done? You should never have gotten emotionally involved. You got lucky, so to speak. For some reason he hasn't been cursed, which means he had some help and not the kind he's use to."

"Heero?"

"Any number of things could have happened, but I think it's safe to wager an assumption that yes, it involves Yuy's disappearance. He's the only one who could have prevented his change."

"What are we going to do?"

"Find Maxwell and you'll find Yuy. You've tasted the boy's blood, so this should be a fairly easy task for you. I know what his interest in the boy is. He will keep him close. We must find them."

"It will be done my lord," Milliardo said, sinking into a bow, "And what of the others that you have sent?"

"Leave the others. It is you I need." Trieze said evenly and put his hand on the shoulder of his friend. "Find him for me, Milliardo. Do not forget, you need Heero Yuy back just as much as I do."

Milliardo understood perfectly. He stood up and bowed his head, closing his eyes. "Yes, my Lord." With that, he vanished in a mist of black smoke.

Trieze dropped the scimitar on the floor and left the room without a single look back, the blade echoing as it clattered to the ground. He glided down the dark corridor elegantly and swiftly, a kind of natural grace, lining his movement. The darkness snaked it's way deeper and deeper underground. Over the past two weeks he had been making the journey over and over again. He came to a sharp corner and turned right. It was a dead end, the wall ahead covered in hieroglyphics. Trieze removed his gloves and tucked them into his coat pocket. He pulled his thumb up to his mouth and pricked it on the edge of his tooth. He pressed his bleeding thumb into a groove on the wall's surface. There was a low rumble and he took a step back as the wall sank into the floor.

He entered a glowing room, illuminated by a pale grayish light coming from a ceiling high cylinder in the middle of the chamber. Beside it was an identical tube, except this one was empty. He walked over to the light source and placed his right hand on the glass. What looked like silvery storm clouds swirled before him and twisted into shape. It looked like him only...different. The image looked gruesome, like parts of it were rotting away. Skin hung off its bare chest and hollow arms, although its face remained unscathed.

Trieze looked longingly at the image in front of him.

_'My soul.'_

How long had it been since he lost it? It was only now that he could finally see the damage he had done to it all those years ago. He had lingered the earth for four thousand years now, unable to enter Heaven, his soul forcibly stripped from him. He felt saddened, but after all this time, here it was before him! He could finally be reunited with it. Yet, its presence was painful. It reminded him of the lives he was force to take, night after night. Maybe he wouldn't be forgiven for his sins.

_'No. The Divine Law is clear. I must be allowed passage. If I have **her**,' _he thought, looking at the empty tube_, 'there is nothing they can do.'_

Hadn't he been imprisoned long enough? The other vampires didn't understand - they hadn't been trapped here for nearly as long as he had. They enjoyed their curse, saw if fit that they should have total reign on Earth. The repulsive thought disgusted him. They could never understand the absence of the divine presence as he did.

_'We are close. I can feel it.'_

"My Lord, I thought I might find you here." Trieze smiled, but did not turn around. He had felt her presence before she had entered the room. Lady Une walked to the center of the room beside him and placed her hand on the dark, empty canister.

"Don't worry my lady," he assured her, "we will find yours soon. They will be together. And then we, my love, are going home."

She smiled sadly, "Yes."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Quatre looked overwhelmed. "Do you have it with you?" he asked. He thought it was worth a shot. "Please, I'd very much like to see it."

"No." Heero said shortly.

Quatre's heart sunk. He had imagined Heero pulling out a scroll and revealing the text he had longed to look upon for years. Surely he wouldn't just leave something so valuable lying around. "Where is it then?"

"I have it right here."

"What?" Quatre said, taking a step forward, "But I thought you just said you didn't have it with you."

"The 'No.' was in response to your request to see it."

"Why not?" Quatre asked sternly, crossing his arms.

"Because it has nothing to do with you," said Heero matter-of-factly.

As he stood there, Duo felt his seeded feeling of hatred lift. After all this time, the answer to all his problems was only ten feet away. If he could get it and show them, he could finally be rid of this poor excuse of an existence, trapped inside the dumbest secret society on the face of the Earth. "Well, can I see it then?" he blurted suddenly, without time to reconsider the request.

Heero slowly turned his head in Duo's direction. He had expected this. "I'd rather not."

"Why not?" Duo snorted. "I understand you not showing Quatre. But why won't you show it to me?"

"Because, I'm not sure if it has anything to do with you either."

"If that's all the help you're going to be, then why did you even bother coming back?" Quatre asked.

"To find out the truth. Unfortunately, there is only one way to find out if Duo is who we all hope he is."

Quatre looked uneasily at Heero. "Just what exactly, are you suggesting?" he asked.

"He must meet with Fatalica."

Several of the hunters gasped. "The Serpent Witch! Are you insane?!" Quatre yelled.

"She and _only_ she, knows the magic."

"Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. I know what magic she uses and I know what valuables she collects," Quatre said darkly. "You will not take him with you."

"I need to view his soul. It's the only way."

"No!" exclaimed Trowa, jumping in front of Duo. "You can't do that."

"Trowa's right, Heero. It's too dangerous. You need to find another way. This is not happening."

"Excuse me!" snapped Duo, who'd apparently been left out of the discussion altogether. No one had bothered asking him what he thought at all. Now, he didn't know who Fatalica was, but anyone who could get him the freedom he longed for was worth the chance. "I think I can decide for myself what I want to do and what I don't. If this will prove that it's not me, then I think I should go."

"Duo!" Quatre exclaimed, his aqua eyes wide with fearful clarity, "You have no idea what you are getting yourself into. The Serpent Witch isn't one for striking idle bargins. She doesn't trade her magics without you giving her something valuable in return."

"We don't have to worry about that," Heero said evenly. "I've already taken care of it."

Quatre looked sick. He turned and looked at Heero. "What have you done?"

"What was necessary," the scribe said shortly, looking at Duo.

"Heero," Quatre said desperately, "You can't.."

For a moment Heero looked like he was going to punch someone, then he walked over and seized Duo by the arm. "If you're coming, we must hurry. She'll be expecting me soon. We must move quickly, Milliardo won't be far behind. Trieze will be wanting me back. The sooner we leave the better. Even he won't be able to follow us once we get there."

Heero started to pull Duo up, but he jerked his arm back. "Wait!" Duo said, steadying himself, "Don't I at least get to think about this for a minute?"

"I'm afraid there isn't time," Heero said with an increasing tone of urgency. Duo looked down, something started glowing from within Heero's robes. The scribe reached in and pulled out a small crystal orb that was about the size of a marble. Holding it up, he rolled it between his middle and index fingers. It was emitting a pulsing blue light that quickly burned into a bright red. Heero snapped his head around at Duo. "We have to leave. Now."

"What is that thing?" asked Duo.

"A warning," Heero said hurriedly, shoving the tiny ball back into his pocket. "Milliardo has found you. We have to go, now." Duo gasped as Heero quickly grabbed his hand.

"NO!" Quatre shouted as they cut into the air, leaving behind in a faint wisp of black smoke.

"Master Quatre?" said one of the hunters.

Quatre didn't answer. He made up his mind - he knew what he had to do. He snapped around, grabbed Trowa by the arm and pulled him violently out of the room. "Quatre, what are you doing?" The blonde didn't answer. The clan leader raced down the hallway, rounding corner after corner. Trowa pulled back his bangs with his free arm to get a look at where he was being drug off to. They made another turn into a stretch of hallway with no doors on either side. "Where exactly are we going?" Quatre came to a halt at the corner. Quatre released Trowa's arm and put his hands on the wall, muttering something incoherent under his breath. Trowa looked at Quatre like he had finally lost his mind. He leaned in and whispered, "Why are we praying to the wall?" Quatre was silent for a moment. "No time to explain, grab my hand!" Trowa didn't bother asking questions as he grabbed the blonde's left hand.

Trowa felt like he was being pulled underground, buried alive. Everything went dark. It felt like an elephant was sitting on his chest, crushing him. He couldn't breath. Then suddenly, the weight was lifted. "What just happened? Where are we?" Trowa felt Quatre release his hand. Above him, fire sparked the chandelier to life. Trowa had never seen this room before. He looked around somewhat cautiously, taking in the foreign surroundings. Tiny little bottles of various vapors and liquids lined the dusty shelves along the long, tall walls. Trowa turned around to face Quatre, but the clan leader was gone. The room looked like a long hallway. Chandeliers along the length of the floor spilled small pools of light between otherwise black patches of mysterious darkness. At the end of the room, Trowa could see something running towards him. His muscles tensed up as the shadow moved faster. "Quatre!" he called.

"Yes! It's me!" the clan leader called, out of breath. The hunter breathed a sign of relief. Quatre looked even more pale under the faded, golden glow of the candlelight far above. Under his arm was a bottle about the size of a kitten. Inside it was nothing short of a patch of fog. In his hand, a much smaller bottle, containing a dark liquid. Both bottles were corked and covered in hardened wax, trapping their substances inside.

"What are you doing? What are those?"

"This," the small blonde said, holding out the larger bottle, "is our bargining chip." He covered the bottle with a white cloth out of his robes and carefully put it in his pocket. "And this," he twisted the small cylinder between his fingertips, "is our way in."

"Our way in where?" Trowa asked. The question hung in the air as Quatre grabbed the cork and twisted hard, breaking the wax. He held the bottle up to his lips and took a quick sip. He grimaced as he swallowed the liquid in one gulp.

"Here," he said, offering the tube to Trowa half empty, "your turn."

"What is it?"

Quatre forced a smile, "If I told you, you wouldn't drink it."

Trowa slowly took the small bottle and bracing himself, threw his head back and took it all. His eyes shot open and he dropped the bottle. It fell to the floor and shattered into a hundred pieces. "Quatre," he said, looking at the blonde as though he'd just stabbed him, "this is blood."

"I told you that you wouldn't drink it if I told you."

Trowa was not in the mood for jokes. "This isn't funny," he said angrily. "Why did you just give me blood?"

"It grants us passage to the witch's lair. We must hurry, we only have a few hours."

"A few hours to do _what _exactly?"

"To save Duo."

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

I know what you are thinking. Boy, was this late. Believe me, I know. I promise I will finish this fic. Unfortunately, it's not on any real schedule. My busy life simply doesn't allow it. I think about my story all the time and the next chapter is underway already. The title will soon be explained and the true events of the story will finally be set into motion. I know it seems like Heero and Duo hate each other right now but remember, there's a thin line between love and hate. :)

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	6. A Deal With the Devil

**_Author's Note:_** This chapter has strong religious topics in it. Bear in mind that just because I wrote it this way, doesn't necessarily mean I actually believe in everything I've written. I do, however, believe that there is someone for everyone, even though you may never know them. Thank you all for your kind and constructive reviews. I couldn't do it without you.

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _A Deal with the Devil_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Milliardo knew he was close. He hadn't been unreasonably hard to locate. He could still taste the boy's blood in his veins. He could feel their connection, pulling him towards him. The feeling was repulsive to him.

Milliardo knew he was near the Maganac Clan. Crystal blue eyes looked out at the vast desert. The moonlight created a smooth blue glow on the dunes. He knew the entrance way was close. Closing his eyes, Milliardo relaxed his shoulders and concentrated. The warm desert breeze whispered in his ear, "_What do you want?_"

Milliardo brushed his long bangs out of his eyes._ 'I want this to be over.'_

The wind whipped around him, playfully blowing his blonde hair right back in his face, "_What do you **really** want_?"

He took a deep breath. _'Revenge.'_

His insatiable need for vengeance against his own kind had taken hold of him, compromising why he became one in the first place. He thought that after he killed the vampires responsible for the murders of his entire family he could finally find a way to forgive them, but the feeling always eluded him. He couldn't stop himself from feeling it. He wanted them all dead, an overwhelming emotion that was slowly driving him insane. They would all pay for what they did to him, for what they took away.

Trieze had proved to be a most unlikely ally. Never in his life did Milliardo think he'd meet a pureblood vampire that hated being one. Poison, coursing through his veins, is what Trieze called their curse. The other tribe leaders were none the wiser to what he and Trieze were doing. Their eldest had them all fooled. There was only one thing he wanted for them: death.

Unable to wage open warfare against the entire vampire nation, together, they secretly leaked information to the Order of Phytoran, strategically staging attacks that best suited their collective interests. But they never seemed to get ahead. The vampire nation was thriving. More humans were being turned with each passing year. It seemed they were fighting a losing battle. Thousands upon thousands infecting more and more everyday.

Trieze still hung desperately onto one last hope, a prophecy record dated almost a century ago, foretelling the birth of a child that would wield the power to defeat the vampires. Unfortunately, the entire record was never found. Trieze had no location to go by, no date, nothing. Determined to find this person before the Order of Phytoran, Trieze has spent the last eighty years looking for this fabled warrior.

His search ended in the latter part of 1988 when the Order of Phytoran stumbled upon a young boy named Duo Collins with the unexpected help of a local Los Angeles gang of vampires. Looking for a quick meal, the gang attacked a small foster home, then set it on fire to burn the bodies of their victims, a common practice among the undead to destroy evidence of their existence.

A patrol of hunters spotted the smoke and rushed to the scene, but by then it was too late. The entire building was entirely engulfed in flames. One of them decided to go in and look for any survivors. The hunter was just about to leave when he tripped over something sticking out of the bed, the leg of a small boy. The hunter pulled him out. Alive, but unconscious, the child had hid under the bed during the attack. He desperately needed medical attention for his difficult breathing and various burns, so without a nearby hospital to take him to, the hunters decided to bring him with them back to their clan. Before treating the boy, a mage did a reading on him to reveal his allergies, but it oddly wouldn't take. When untapped magic is present in someone, such things sometimes happen, so the clan leader contacted the Council for help.

When the boy regained consciousness, a Councilman came to see him. The Councilman stepped one foot inside the room, saw the boy's tear-stained round violet eyes and walked right back out. Duo was immediately placed in the orphanage at Maxwell Church as the Council conducted an investigation on him. An excitement quickly spread throughout the Council. Could this be the child of Celes Winner's prophecy?

_A child marked with violet eyes...He will bring with him death. At his hands the time of the undead shall pass...born before the millenia dies..._

The child's medical records were mysteriously full of missing and deleted information. There were many unusual things in his file, but one stuck out above the others: the birth record. His mother had died shortly after giving birth to him. Before she passed she gave him a name and told the nurse that the child was a miracle of God because she was a virgin. The nurse was shocked to learn she was telling the truth, however, the doctor decided to document the birth as an in vitro fertilization. They wrote off her "miracle" as a scam to try and get some attention. By all accounts, the Council was convinced he was the one they were looking for.

Trieze knew the boy would be guarded at all costs, so he waited for his chance to take him. Everything took an unexpected turn for Trieze when the Kobejitsu Tribe decided to take the matter into their own hands. The vampire nation rejoiced as the boy was thought to be killed along with most of his clan. Trieze immediately made contact with the Order, personally ensuring the Kobejitsu got what they deserved, but it didn't change the fact that he had waited all this time for nothing. Years passed and Trieze fell into dispair.

He had lost all hope until a chance meeting one night five years ago that lead him to Heero Yuy, a seventeen year old boy that possessed a very unique ability. It was something both Milliardo and Trieze desired very badly. It gave them both a new hope. He could reunite a body with its soul and restore it to purity. Milliardo soon found out that the process wasn't as easy as simply taking an eraser and wiping the slate clean. The lost soul had to be found, a nearly impossible task since the Divide, the area that separates Heaven and Hell, was flooded with lost souls.

It took years for Trieze to finally find his soul. When he did, he decided to do a test trial on another vampire since Heero had never tried to reunite a vampire with its soul before. He had only used this magic on humans, saving people he thought deserved another chance and a fresh start. The experiment was a complete failure; Heero proved to be no match for the powerful curse upon them. Months later when a suitable situation presented itself, they tried again. This time restoring the soul to it's previous state outside of its vampire shell, but as soon as he tried to fuse the two, the cursed blood immediately infected it again. Poison, just like Trieze said.

Milliardo felt sick with himself. If he hadn't became a vampire he could have had his soul cleansed, but now he was trapped just like the rest of them. He hated the point he had came to, everything had fallen through. He hated Trieze for what he had done to him.

,.•´)•(•.¸

_"My lord," Milliardo said quietly, not looking at the person in front of him, "I've decided I don't want my soul back anymore."_

_Trieze slammed his glass down hard on the table, slopping the red contents on the tablecloth. "Milliardo!" he spat, eyeing the vampire in disbelief. "Why would you say a thing like that? Not when we are so close. Listen, I know this didn't turn out the way we wanted, but we are going to find a way to make it work. If you don't believe that then you're not the person I thought you were."_

_"Maybe I'm not," Milliardo spat hatefully._

_"You don't understand. I was trying to save your soul."_

_"How can you say that!" Milliardo yelled, his voice loud and strong. "You're the one who took it from me! I'm stuck this way because of you. **You** made me this way!"_

_Trieze looked hurt. He had only sired two people in his entire life: Milliardo and Mariemaia. He knew he had done the right thing. Trieze was not about to stand there and be insulted. "I did that to save the damage **you** had already done your soul. If you had been killed then, you would be burning for eternity in Hell right now! **HELL**, Milliardo! I saved you whether you see it or not!" he said hotly, "Heero has been-"_

_"Heero Yuy doesn't give a damn about me!" he bellowed, "And he doesn't give a damn you!"_

_Trieze pounded his fist on the table. "You only think that because you don't give a damn about yourself! What's happened to you Milliardo?! What happened to the proud warrior I once knew?"_

_Milliardo looked him dead in the eye, years of hatred pounding in his veins, his voice bitter and cold, "You killed him a long time ago."_

_"So this is what it's come to? You can't blame everything on me. When are you going to get over this and take some responsibility for your own actions?"_

_"I only do what you tell me to do and I'm sick of it!" he spat. "You can find someone else." He spun on his heel and started for the door._

_"Milliardo, stop!" Trieze called out after him. "Think about your family! What about them? Don't **they **still mean something to you?"_

_"Don't you dare," Milliardo hissed in a low, dangerous voice. He rushed Trieze in the space of a heartbeat. He squeezed his shaking hand around the Vampire King's pale throat and raised him off the ground, his sharp teeth bared and ice blue eyes filled with hate. "Don't you **dare** talk to me about them. It's your kind that killed them!" _

_Trieze gripped Milliardo's wrist firmly, and pryed it off with one hand, nearly breaking it. "**Our** kind," the older vampire corrected him firmly. "See," Trieze said softly, "you hate being this way just as much as I do."_

_Milliardo rubbed his hand and continued to look at Trieze hatefully, but said nothing. Trieze looked at him indifferently. "Now, here's where you make a decision. You think long and hard about what you really want. I am an enemy you do not want to have. I once made a promise to you and I intend to keep to it." said Trieze, his voice full of conviction. He strode forward, his head held even to Milliardo's. "Now, are you with me or not?"_

_Milliardo's face softened somewhat and he let out a deep stretched breath. "Yes, my lord." His voice unwavering as he sunk into a low bow.  
_

_"Good, because I have a job for you." _

_"What is it, my lord?"  
_

_Trieze crossed the room and seated himself behind his desk. Pulling out a worn looking piece of parchment and extended it to the other vampire. Millardo took it and began examining its __delicate, __worn surface, his crystal blue eyes darting back and forth over the map. "Is this -"_

_"Yes, we're about to have a problem," he explained, "There is a small excavation team along the Damanhur Stela that is on the verge of uncovering it..."_

_Milliardo's eyes widened at the statement as Trieze continued, "I trust that you understand what it would mean if one of the others find it. It is imperative that it stay buried until the time is right. However, several other tribe leaders already know about the excavation. They know the researchers have found several artifacts pertaining directly to the very nature of our curse. They think the artifacts are spells to dissolve the curse's affinity to sunlight."_

_Milliardo looked less than convinced. "And why do they think that?"_

_Trieze smiled with a certain satisfaction. "Because, that's what I told them."_

_Milliardo smiled slightly at this. Trieze always had a way of making them believe anything he told them. "What do they really do?"_

_"I don't know. They contain the ancient magic that was used to curse us and hopefully we can channel some of it to our advantage. As we speak, Heero is switching them out with decoys. The real artifacts mustn't fall into the hands of our enemies." _

_Milliardo was no longer smiling. He threw the parchment back on the desk. It hit the dark wood with a light slap. "If Heero is switching them, then what use do you have for me?" _

_"I thought you'd want to protect your sister before the others arrive."_

_"Relena," Milliardo said softly, "What does she have to do with any of this?"_

_"She's the one that found them."_

,.•´)•(•.¸

Milliardo knew what he had to do and he would do it for her, for Relena. Deep down inside, above all his hatred and animosity, he wanted everything to be the way it was. He didn't know whether she would forgive him for what he had done or not, but he had to try. She was all he had left in the world. And right now, his only way out rested with Heero Yuy. Still, he couldn't help but sense that something was wrong. Something in the back of his head, telling him that Heero did not share the same goals for the vampires that he and Trieze did.

Suddenly, like a veil covering his mind, Milliardo could no longer feel Duo's presence. It was there one second and gone the next. The only way to accomplish such a thing was slipping through the Divide. He had wasted too much time foolishly reminiscing about the past and he was too late.

Milliardo dug his nails into his palm, "Dammit, Heero Yuy."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Before Duo could fully contemplate what he was about to get himself into, Heero had already grabbed his hand. A coldness washed over him and everything faded away. Various sounds of discord filled his ears as Duo rubbed his eyes. All around him were hollow faces passing him in a thick mist of black fog. Most of them looked terrified and confused. Some were calling out to him, "Save me." , "Help me." Stretching and clawing, others tried to grab him. Duo tried to take a step back, and instead hit something very solid.

"Don't let go. They won't hurt you if you don't move."

Duo turned his head around. Heero was behind him, still grasping his hand tightly in his own. The notion, however, didn't make Duo feel any better about the situation. Within moments, there was an endless sea of hollow bodies and shreiking, shrouded in a heavy, black fog.

"Where are we?"

"The Divide."

"Oh," Duo said softly. _'So this is the Divide. I was imagining something a little less...creepy.'_

"What are they?" Duo asked as another slowly reached for his leg. "They look like ghosts."

Heero squeezed Duo's hand harder and leaned his face into his neck, his lips pressed against his ear. Duo felt himself tense up. "Shhh!" Heero whispered cautiously, "Not so loud. Yes, that's a term some use, but they don't like being called that. We must be careful. We are in their territory right now." Duo felt himself shudder. He didn't know whether it was because he nearly pissed off a bunch of angry ghosts, or because Heero was pressed against him.

_'He's so close.' _Duo shook his head and tried to push back the images that unbiddenly flooded into his head. He tried not to think about how he was touching him. "What, exactly, do they want to be called then?" Duo whispered back, trying to get refocused.

"They are lost souls. Stay close to me, try not to move and they won't hurt you."

Duo's head felt fuzzy. He didn't notice that he had lean in towards Heero's warm breath. He didn't realize that he had unconsciously closed his eyes and relaxed against him, or that he had turned around to face him. Duo leaned forward. He was only inches away. Warm feelings flooded his mind.

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_He struggled for a second but relaxed as the person began kissing the back of his neck. His tense body relaxed against the smooth skin behind him. He closed his eyes. He felt so safe..._

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)_  
_

Duo opened his eyes wide when he realized what doing and jerked himself away from Heero. _'Dammit, not again. Why do I feel like this way around him? What has he done to me?'_

One of the souls reached out for Duo, but Heero whipped Duo around and pulled him back towards him before it could grab him. Their thin bodies collided violently together. "Duo!" he hissed softly, "What the hell are you doing? You have to be still. We're almost there." He seemed a little unnerved for someone who had done this a lot. Duo couldn't take being this close to him. He had to do something to take his mind off of it. He had to talk about something. He leaned into Heero's ear, catching a faint whiff of lightly scented shampoo. _'Wow, he smells so good. No! Stop it Duo! Get a hold of yourself!'_

"Why," the hunter breathed, "don't they try to grab you?"

Heero signed, '_He just doesn't know when to shut up_.'

"I'm more familiar than you are. I do this a lot. No more talking."

Heero's lips were inches from his own. Out of the corner of his eye, Duo could see the souls continuing to reach out for him. It was like he couldn't help himself. He found himself leaning in closer. "Heero..." Their eyes met and Duo inclined his head upward at the same time he felt Heero let go of his hand.

Then, the feeling broke as warm humid air slapped his face and Duo hit the ground. Losing his balance, he fell over on his back, the impact knocking the wind out of him. "We're here," Heero said shortly, standing over him. "Sorry about your landing. I'm not use to having a passenger." He extended his hand to help Duo up. "No problem," Duo choked.

The pair of boys had landed in the thick of a lush, humid jungle. Tall trees and vines prevented the sun from penetrating to the jungle floor. Various animal calls could be heard in the distant, echoing off the trees. Duo looked up. "Where the hell are we?"

"Pará, Brazil."

Duo's mouth gaped open. "Brazil!"

"Yes. From here we must travel on foot. The Serpent Witch's dwelling is protected by a magical dead zone."

Duo had never heard of such a thing. "A magical dead zone? Just what the hell is that?"

"It's her protection. The only magic that works here, is her own."

Duo didn't like the sound of that. "Here," Heero said, reaching into his sleeve and pulling out Duo's scythes. "We'll need these," he said, extending one to Duo, gesturing towards the spiderweb of vines and brushes. "You ready?"

Grinning half heartedly, Duo reached out reclaimed his prized weapon, "Don't got much of a choice. Do I?"

Heero fumbled for a moment with something in his pocket. "Here," he said pulling out two small vials of red liquid and offering one to Duo.

Duo eyed the small bottle uneasily. _I don't like where this is going. _"What is it?" he said, reaching out and taking it.

"It grants you passage into the dead zone."

Duo held up the vial between his thumb and index finger. "Nice try," he said chuckled, "But I asked_ what _it was, not what it did."

Heero shrugged his shoulders. "It's what the witch gave me to get through the barrier, a potion she made herself. I don't know what's in it." he said truthfully.

"So...you gotta drink it too right?"

"Yes."

"And they're the same right?"

Heero didn't see the point in the question. "I couldn't tell you that, could I?"

"Switch me then."

"What?"

"I said s-w-i-t-c-h me."

"Fine." Heero said annoyed and grudgily took Duo's.

There was an akward silent. "Well..." Duo said, the two staring at one another, "You first."

Without hesitation, Heero popped the cork off and downed the dark contents in one motion. He then chunked the bottle into a nearby bush. Duo remained motionless and silent as he raised an eyebrow and looked for any visible reaction from the other boy. "Well?" Heero gestured, "What are you waiting for?"

"Just making sure you don't drop dead." Duo smiled grimly and pushed the cork out with his thumb. He put the vial up to his lips and threw his head back, expecting the worst. Half of it got down his throat when the sharp metallic taste registered with his tongue. He gagged and spray the liquid out of his mouth. "Jeez, this is blood!"

"There isn't time to waste." Heero said shortly and promptly began slicing through the thick, hanging vines, cutting them a path.

Duo watched him walk away in disbelief. "You gave me blood?!"

,.•´)•(•.¸

Trieze was pacing back and forth across the forum. What exactly was Heero Yuy doing? What business did he have with Duo Maxwell and why now? Trieze felt a nervous twinge in his stomach. Something didn't feel right. What was taking Milliardo so long?

"My lord," a familiar voice called from behind.

Trieze turned around. The former hunter was standing in the doorway, alone. Trieze looked him over, looking sour. "My dear Milliardo, I do believe you're missing something."

Milliardo hated when he talked to him like a child. "I believe Heero has taken him."

"Taken him _where_?"

"I don't know, somewhere far away. They went through the Divide."

Trieze eyes darted from the vampire in front of him, looking uncharacteristically unnerved. Taking someone through the Divide when they aren't inclined to it was extremely dangerous. "They did, did they?" Trieze turned around and looked at the wall. It was covered in various engraving and hieroglyphics. Trieze's eyes wandered to a picture of a large snake. It's mouth was open about to devour a person. It was part of a large scene in the center of the wall. Trieze reached out and touched it, a very dangerous thought entering his mind. "There's only one reason our friend would have done that."

Milliardo's eyes fell on the ancient depiction on the wall. "My Lord, no. Why would he do that? Surely you don't think -"

"I don't know what to think!" Trieze jolted, his desperation rising. "It appears that Heero Yuy hasn't been completely honest with us. His actions are very troubling indeed. Seeking _her_ council is an act of desperation...or worse."

"Worse?" asked Milliardo.

Trieze turned around, frowning. "He must know something, Milliardo...something, we don't. Heero Yuy certainly isn't a fool. He's taking the boy to see her for a reason," he said vaguely, glancing around the room. His ice blue eyes looked upon Milliardo uneasily. "A reason, I feel, that could bode ill for us all."

,.•´)•(•.¸

"How exactly are we going to save Duo?" Trowa asked.

"We have get to them before they reach the witch." Quatre said, searching frantically through an old barrel full of rolled parchments.

Trowa shook his head. "But they are there already, Quatre."

"No," the blonde corrected, "They're not." He pulled out a roll and flatted it out on the table. It was a map.

Trowa peered over Quatre's shoulder as he ran a finger along the paper. "He took him through the Divide, Quatre. You know better than I do that traveling like that will get you there faster than anything on this earth."

"Trust me, where they need to go can't be reached by passing through the Divide. The Serpent Witch is protected by a magical field, no magic works inside of it. That potion you drank lets you walk through the perimeter."

"Oh, you mean the blood I drank?" Trowa said sarcastically.

"Anyway," Quatre said dismissively, waving his hand. "It stretches for miles around her sanctuary. I don't know exactly how far though. Such information can't exactly be found in a text book. If we get too close, I shudder to think what would happen. We could become trapped."

Trowa didn't like the sound of that. He had gone through the Divide once before and he definitely wouldn't want to be trapped there for _any_ length of time. He let out a reluctant sigh. "So, what's our plan?"

"The witch lives somewhere here," he said, pointing to a section on the map. "So, I think we should stop here."

Trowa frowned. "Quatre, that's twelve miles away."

"Yes."

"Through the _Amazon_," the hunter reminded him sorely.

"Dammit, Trowa! Do you want to help me save Duo or not?" Quatre said hotly.

Quatre hardly ever yelled, must less cursed. Trowa unintentionally swayed backwards slightly, caught off guard. "Of course."

"Then come on," he said, extending his small hand. He looked determined, radiating power that Trowa or anyone else for that matter, rarely saw. Because of his small size, most people would not see how strong the blonde really was, but Trowa knew better.

Trowa reached out and took his hand, a second later, the two were gone.

,.•´)•(•.¸

The suffocating heat had became unbearable. Duo's dark clothes were drenched in sweat, making them even blacker than before. He had to keep wiping sweat off his forehead every few seconds. It was stinging his eyes, blurring his vision. If he went on any longer he thought he would pass out.

"Duo, you're falling behind." Heero called out from several yards ahead, rhythmically cutting them a path through the vines like a machine.

"Yeah, well," the hunter panted, "this isn't exactly a walk in the park - ya know! We've been at this for - for hours, man! I need a break!"

Heero let out a deep breath and backtracked to find Duo on the ground propped up against a large tree. He was breathing heavily and his face was mostly flushed. "Here," Heero said, pulling out a canteen from somewhere within his robes, "Don't pass out. I don't want to have to drag you the rest of the way there."

_'At least he's honest,'_ thought Duo jokingly. He unscrewed the top of the jug. "I'll try not to inconvenience you."

Duo had never been so glad to have water before in his whole life. He chugged it eagerly, spilling some down his shirt.

"Not so much," Heero said, "That's got to last us the way there. We still got another day left."

Duo's eyes widened as he sprayed out the water in his mouth in a fit of coughing and choking. "What! What do you mean another _day_? I thought we were almost there!"

Using his sleeve, Heero wiped the mist of water off his face and snatched the canteen out of Duo's hand. "Unfortunately not," he replied. He took a swig out of the canister and screwed the top back on. "The dead zone encompasses a ten mile radius. We only have a couple of hours of sunlight left and then we'll have to make camp."

"You're gotta be kidding me!" Duo shook his head. "Why couldn't you tell me that? Here I've been sweating my ass off for hours, thinking we were almost there. And now you're tellin' me we won't be there til tomorrow! You're unbelievable. Can't you see that I'm wearing long sleeves! Dammit, I could have taken this hot ass shirt off hours ago!" In a surprise feat of energy Duo bolted up, pulled his shirt over his head and irritably threw it to the ground.

Heero tried not to look at Duo. He instead chose to stare at the balled up black fabric on the ground. "I thought you knew." Heero quietly observed that Duo looked ready to kill him. Perhaps there was something else he should say here. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Duo snorted, plopping back down on the ground. "I know you are." He ran his hand through his drenched bangs, spraying the tree behind him with splat of sweat. With the swish of an arm, he twisted his braid up and laced his fingers above his head to keep his hot hair off his neck. "Listen man, I don't know everything you think I do. The only thing I know about vampires is how to kill them. I've never even heard of the Serpent Witch. So, if we are going to work together you're going to need to tell me some things."

Heero knew this was coming. He wanted to tell him before, but couldn't because of their unexpected audience and hasty flight. Now that they were alone he could finally explain things properly. He couldn't let him face the Serpent Witch without knowing some explanation of what was at stake. He didn't have a choice. "What would you like to know?"

"You can start by telling me why Quatre acted like you had just made a deal with the Devil. The Serpent Witch, who is she?"

Heero looked around cautiously, as if he was making sure no one would overhear him. "Before I tell you who she is, there are things you need to understand about what's going on."

Duo stared at Heero dumbly, leaning forward. "And what's going on exactly?"

"The balance of souls in Heaven and Hell has shifted," Heero said, keeping his voice low. Duo had to struggle to hear him. "Heaven has always maintained the majority, but over the past one hundred years the difference has been leveling out. As you probably noticed on our trip here, the Divide is overflowing with lost souls. They are disrupting the cycle."

Duo was lost himself. "What cycle?"

"The Cycle of Souls, an ancient process that God uses to seperate and judge souls when they enter the Divide..." Duo's found it hard to pay attention to exactly what Heero was saying. His words were incredibly uniform. He sounded like he was reciting all of his information out of a textbook. Duo tried to focus. "..some souls are sent to Hell, some to Heaven, but most have to return to Earth."

Duo put up his hand to stop him. "Okay, wait a second," he said slowly, "Why would they have to go back? They didn't do a good enough job the first time and have to try again or something?"

Heero irritably buried his face in his hand. Not knowing anything about the nature of souls made this explanation difficult. He knew the Order never dove in and explained it properly to its hunters. And why would they? Because if they knew the truth... "It's nothing like that. They only return if they aren't whole, meaning they haven't found their companion, their soulmate."

Duo stiffed a laugh. "Oh, come on. Soulmates? Isn't that just some romantic crap girls liked to hear about?"

Heero looked insulted, though the look didn't vary that much from his normal demeanor. "No, it isn't," the scribe said stiffly, "It's Divine Law. Everything in this universe exists in pairs. Each with a perfect opposite that completes it: light and dark, good and evil, life and death, love and hatred. They each _need_ each other and sometimes, _violently_ depend on each other to exist. Each's attraction to the other is undeniable, though the differences between them are many. Soulmates who overcome this and remain untainted by evil earn the divine right to enter Heaven once they've re-bonded."

_'Untainted by evil? Who the hell talks like that?'_ Nevertheless, something about what he said had struck a chord with Duo, so he decided to entertain the idea. "What happens to you if your soulmate gets sent to Hell first?"

The burning sweat must have been interfering with his vision because Duo could have swore Heero's expression saddened, but when he blinked, Heero looked the same, through his voice sounded a bit differently. "Your soul gets trapped in a loop, bound forever to be reborn, always looking for the other. You've seen them, people who can't seem to connect with others, filled with an unexplained emptiness in their lives. They feel it. They know something is wrong with them, but they can not see what." Duo looked at Heero sadly. He had just described exactly how he's felt his entire life, only his feelings was attributed to him because of that stupid prophecy, surely not because he's lost his soulmate. Still, Duo found it easier to pay attention to what Heero was saying now.

"Your soul can't know it's other is in Hell, unless it ends up there itself and unfortunately, most do. The soul will become distraught after so many failures to unite with its soulmate. Even though science has made drugs to help numb this feelilng, each time a soul is reborn, the feeling grows. They eventually take their own life out of grief and get sent straight to Hell because of it. This is what has caused the soul majority to shift from Heaven to Hell. The Devil always likes it when he gets the pair of them. He separates them, of course...once they get there..." he trailed off, looking around cautiously.

"Well, that sucks," Duo said after a couple of seconds, trying not to sound as bad as he felt. "But, what does any of this have to do with me?"

"I'm getting to that. It's the turned vampires that are creating this problem. They are blissfully unaware that their soulmates are ending up in Hell because their own souls are trapped in the Divide. Because they don't know any better, they spread their curse without remorse and without hesitation. The Order of Phytoran isn't helping the matter either," he added quickly, "When they destroy a vampire's human shell, its soul get sent from the Divide straight into Hell. Think of how many vampires your organization has killed over the years." Duo grinned. He couldn't help but feel a sense of fleeting satisfaction out of this. He didn't know they went straight to Hell. He tried to remember how many vampires he had killed over the years. He used to keep count...

"Don't look so happy, Duo. The more souls the Devil collects, the more evil he can influence on the rest of us. He mustn't possess the soul majority at the End of Days. This has to stopped, now."

"How is it you're planning on doing this?" Duo asked, skeptically.

"By allowing them to re-enter the Cycle."

Duo was quiet for a second. "A simple solution. Are you having troubling figuring out how to do it?"

"I've figured it out, that wasn't the problem."

Duo leaned forward, smiling lazily. "Then, what is the problem, Heero?"

"The problem," Heero said with the slightest hint of being annoyed with Duo at this point, "is that not just anyone can do it. The person who invoked this magic is the only one who can release their imprisonment."

"And who might that be?"

"Someone I've been searching for for my entire life," Heero said heavily, "He was once an angel, charged with taking condemned souls into Hell. Until, he fell in love. He chose to forsake his sacred duty to be with the one he loved, and for it he was betrayed by one of his own. No one has ever seen his face, but the pictures of him are all the same. A shadowed figure wearing a long, black hooded cloak, carrying a scythe." Heero paused and looked at Duo thoughtfully. "Some call him Death..."

Duo looked down at the curved blade in his hand, a dawning realization on his face as he looked up at Heero slowly.

_A child marked with violet eyes...He will bring with him Death..._

All this time the Order thought that death was referring to the action, not a_ person_. Duo snorted. Oh, he bet they would like that little fact even more. "And what? You think it's me?"

Heero, who had been looking at him intently, chose to looked away and stare at the shirt on the ground again. "It can't actually be _you_. No one knows exactly how Death escaped. We think Death hitched a ride, so to speak, on another soul as it was being reborn into the world. But there's only one way to find out and that's why we are going to see the Serpent Witch."

"How do you know all this anyway?" Duo demanded, crossing his arms. "This is the first time I've ever heard this story."

"It's not a _story_," Heero said at once, "The Serpent Witch has shown me the living record. She was there when all of it happened. She too, was once an angel and held a very special position in God's upper court. She was charged with guiding soulmates into finding one another and so God gave her the ability to create magic for this purpose. Once, only pure, good magic existed for the sole purpose of helping soulmates find each other. Manifesting in one of them, when they continuously failed to locate one another. That's how it was before the War in Heaven and God's Final Judgment, when she sided with Lucifer and became one of the fallen, a demon. She does his bidding now, praying on the hopeless and misguided, infecting the magic with her evil, the right hand of the Devil himself."

"I don't get it," Duo admittedly tiredly, "If she can create magic, then can't she release the lost souls?"

Heero looked appalled. "Don't be stupid! Why do you think she would want to do that? Their curse operates in her favor. The lost souls can't leave the Divide until their shell is destroyed, _at_ which time they go straight to Hell _plus_ they end up taking their soulmates with them! Her job is to gather souls for Hell, not to make it to where they can get into Heaven."

"Well," Duo sputtered, trying to recover some of his dignity, "how do you know she hasn't lied to you about everything?"

"She hasn't. I've seen the record from one other. Someone, who doesn't gain anything from making it up."

"Who?" Duo asked him curiously.

"You know him."

"I do?"

"He was the first to be cursed, the only one left who was there when it happen. He has no reason to lie about any of it. Believe me, there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't wish he could take back what happened that day."

"Treize.."

Heero nodded. "You see, Duo. Archangels, like Trieze, Fatalica and Death, were never meant to love anyone, anyone but God."

Duo couldn't believe what he just heard. _'Trieze was an angel?'_

"They were pure souls he created to serve him. But just like everything else in this world, he had to give them a counterpart to maintain the balance, but they were not bound to each other like soulmates were. Both were bound instead to God, one in Heaven, one on Earth. Through his position in the Court of God, Death bared sole witness to all united souls as they were admitted into Heaven and it pained him greatly to know he would never know or experience the love they shared for one another. He deeply detested God's law. He thought he was being deprived of something that was rightfully his. It was then he decided to do something that had never been done before - cut his wings and become human. So Trieze, along with eleven others, took it upon themselves to make an example out of him and show all God's followers that they couldn't just walk away from their duties to him. They meant to separated them, but the two were already bonded. So the angels tore their souls apart, taking the other with them into Heaven. Death thought that if he destroyed his human form he could return back to Heaven," Heero looked at Duo darkly, "but he was wrong."

"That's horrible," Duo said, mortified. He tried to force a sympathetic smile, but couldn't. Duo had to know. "What happened to him?"

"He got sent to Hell, but not even that could not hold him or the vengeance he had for the ones that plotted against him. Although Death didn't side with him during the war, Lucifer was still quite fond of Death and decided to help him to strip the twelve of their souls. It wouldn't do to simply put them in Hell though. Oh, no. He wanted to make them suffer a bit closer to home. So, he made them human and put them under a terrible curse. I don't know if you know, Duo, but, our souls flow within our blood. Blood must be present and flowing for the soul to inhabit a body. So, Death made their bodies inapt to produce their own blood, causing them to lose their souls to the Divide. Without blood, they were forced to take the blood of others in order to keep their fraile human forms alive. Avoiding Hell came at a terrible price. When they took the blood of others they were also forced to take their souls, which gives anyone a one way ticket to Hell when they die. The temporary soul of another is what their bodies really needed to keep them alive, in a manner of speaking. Death wanted them to regret for all eternity what they did to him, so he made their human shells to last forever, unless of course someone were to stab them in the heart. This action immediately releases their current temporary soul and I trust you know what happens to their shell afterwards." Duo smiled at this and Heero continued on his lengthly explanation. "However, it was unforeseen that they would be able to share their curse with anyone else and the Devil always has his own way of things. Through unfortunate circumstances, they began accidentally infecting their victims and spreading their curse to others. Others, Death never intended it for. They no longer do this by accident though," he added darkly, "but you already know that."

"Yeah," Duo ran a hand through his bangs. It was a lot of information to absorb. He took a deep breath. "There's still one thing I don't understand," he said, surveying the scribe.

"What?"

"You. Why are you doing this?"

"Because it is my mission. I've been trained for this since I was a child." Heero said, a reluctant sadness coming through in his voice.

Duo gawked at him. "Trained?" Duo repeat, curious at how he had put it. "By who?"

Heero was ignoring him again. Instead of listening, he was looking around the thick of the trees above. The sun was making it's final stretch towards the horizon. "Let's move out," he said decisively, "It would be best if we moved a little further before nightfall."

Duo stood up, walked over and bent down to pick up his dirty garment. Everything that frustrated Duo about Heero, from the way he made him feel, to the stupid way he made conversation, seemed to just melt away. As Duo watched Heero walk away he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. It was ironic that while he had dedicated his entire life to killing vampires, Heero had dedicated his to the very opposite.

_'Everything in this universe exists in pairs. Each with a perfect opposite that completes it: Light and dark, good and evil, life and death, love and hatred...They each need each other and depend on each other to exist...' _

Duo looked down at the scythe in his hand and gripped the leather handle tightly. Here they were, walking through the middle of the jungle, towards a destination, a single moment, that they both had unknowingly waited for their entire lives. Duo slowly cracked a smile. In that sense, somehow, they didn't seem all that different at all.

After hearing Heero's story, Duo wondered why the Serpent Witch was helping him at all. Why would she help him break the curse if she was benefiting from it? What had he given her to make her want to help him? He _wanted_ to help Heero, but Duo wasn't entirely sure he trusted him. Nevertheless he took his scythe and brutally cut down the thick vine in front of him and took a step forward as Heero's voice echoed ahead. "Duo? You coming or not?"

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I know this is a lot to try and remember. My storyline has become far more complex that I originally attended. Thank you to all the people who reviewed and signed up for an update. Together, they must travel through miles of jungle to reach the Serpent Witch. Things between Heero and Duo are about to get complicated...

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	7. Predicament by the Lake

**_Author's Note:_** View points from here on in will mainly toggle between Heero and Duo. On their journey to see the Serpent Witch, Duo and Heero stop to make camp. Some things got put into previous chapters that I hadn't intended, but I've taken them out. You shouldn't have to reread them or anything I don't think, although I added a little passage about soul mates at the beginning of my first chapter if you wanted to check it out. I also changed the names of some of the chapters, no big deal. Thank you all for your kind and constructive reviews. I love you all!!

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Predicament by the Lake_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

The sun's dying light struggled to penetrate the dense wall of trees and brush that lined the horizon. A brightly colored bird sat perched on a low branch, peacefully singing into the coming summer night. The sweet, soporific lullaby filtered through the thick evening air, drowning out the harshness of nearby animal calls, until a loud screech sliced into the serene scenery. Two bodies cut through nothingness and crashed clumsily onto the damp, jungle floor. Coughing, Trowa gasped for air as Quatre toppled over ungracefully on top of him. The trip through the Divide hadn't went at all like Trowa had expected.

"What's happening to it?" Trowa asked quietly, looking up at Quatre uneasily.

Pushing himself up, Quatre unconsciously straddled Trowa, looking down at him dismally. It was a tired look that Trowa had become fairly familiar with. "It's getting worse," said Quatre heavily, "and it's going to _keep_ getting worse."

"Quatre," he whispered softly, leaning up and propping himself up with his elbows behind him. He reached out and pulled a crushed leaf out of the clan leader's hair, thoughtfully looking into his pale face. He was very different from the way he was when Trowa first met him. His blonde hair was no longer the shiny, honey golden color it once was. It had faded in it's brilliant luster, turning a light, ash-white blonde, one could almost call it silver. Magic affected some this way when they endured great, emotional ordeals. Years of mounting stress lined dark circles under his bright aqua eyes as they glistened with unnamed torments. Trowa tried to smile for him, but he couldn't. "Don't do that," he pleaded, "It's not your fault."

"It's all our faults," the blonde said tearfully, looking over Trowa's shoulder and into the jungle, his mind momentarily forgetting what now laid ahead of them.

Pushing himself upright, Trowa reached out for his heart shaped face, cupped his cheek and pulled him slowly around. "No, that's not true. You can't blame yourself. You aren't the one that kills them."

Quatre let out a shaking breath and wenched himself out of Trowa's grasp. "That doesn't make me any less guilty, Trowa. I've known all along what's been happening and I've done nothing to try and stop it. You don't know what it's like, expected to lead an organization that you know isn't doing anything to make the problem any better. We're just making everything that much worse...I don't know what to do anymore."

Quatre sounded like he had just confessed his darkest of deeds to a preacher, feeling that somehow saying them out loud would make everything he felt inside a little less painful, but it did nothing to help him at all. He turned so that his faded bangs covered his eyes, shadowing the tears that welled up inside. A tinge of frustration flushed across Trowa's strong face.

"Hey," Trowa said loudly, moving in front of Quatre's line of sight, forcing him to have to look at him. The hunter grabbed him by the arms and squeezed him firmly, shaking him slightly backwards. Quatre looked at him, frightened. "Stop it!" the hunter yelled, giving him another good shake, "Look what's been happening to you! You won't blame yourself for this. I won't let you. If you want to fix it, then help me find Duo. You still believe in him, don't you?"

He searched Trowa's green eyes, as the hunter jerkily released him, looking disappointed. "Of course I do, Trowa..."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Trowa stood up and pulled Quatre up with him in one fluid motion. Trowa dusted off his dirty clothes as he looked around at the dark, vast greenery that surrounded them. The sky was lavender and becoming darker with each passing second. Soon, the full darkness of the night would be upon them. The chances of finding Duo and Heero were getting slimmer by the second. Miles of dark jungle, they could be anywhere. "How will we find them?"

"Don't worry," Quatre said, looking past Trowa, "Give me a minute. I can find them." Trowa watched with sad curiosity as Quatre closed his eyes, gently moving his head like he was listening to a song that only he could hear. He had a gift of sensing people and their emotions without actually using any magic at all. The disturbing reason he was so powerful was something Trowa would never forget.

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_Quatre stared blankly at the tall form of the person in front of him. He hated having this conversation with people and hoped he'd never have to have it with **him** of all people. "Do you know what you are asking, Trowa? You won't like the outcome. Tapping into magic for someone like yourself is dangerous."_

_Trowa didn't understand why Quatre would say such a thing. Many people had told him it was perfectly fine to attempt magic even though you weren't naturally born with it and it seemed unlikely that Quatre wouldn't know that. After all, he knew more about magic than anyone else he'd ever met. "I've already read several books and none of them said anything about it being dangerous. I've also asked several Mage's what's required and none of them said it was dangerous, just hard to do. I can do this, Quatre..." Trowa said earnestly._

_"No, you can't!" Quatre snapped, a wild look in his vivid blue-green eyes. The air around them was suddenly electric with magic, radiating from Quatre's small form. He seemed to struggle with himself as he painfully squeezed his eyes shut, like he had just been exposed to some blinding white light. He buried his face in his hands and bent over. Trowa took a wary step backwards as various items began rising around the room and hovering idly in the air around the blonde. "Quatre, what's wrong?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady, which was hard to do considering that several large knives were now rising off their wall mounts and moving dangerously close to him. He had never seen someone lose control of their magic like this before. Quatre was violently shaking his head back and forth as the knives steadily continued to move closer to Trowa. "QUATRE!"_

_"NO! STOP IT!" Quatre screamed and fell to his knees on the office floor. Toppling forward, he used his arms to prevent him from falling on his face. His arms trembled under his own weight as he took a deep breath and the airborne items dropped hard on their previous places, while the knives fell to the floor next to Trowa in a metallic clatter. The hunter rushed to his side, bending down with him and carefully putting his hand on Quatre's back, surveying his thin, shuddering body with worried eyes. "Quatre, are you okay? What just happened?" _

_"I'm fine," he said shortly._

_Trowa leaned over further to get a better look at him. Quatre looked...scared. "No, you're not," Trowa said, "I didn't mean to upset you or anything. I just thought -" _

_"-Trowa," he interrupted, slowly looking up, not with the normal, tired expression he always had, but this time with something a little darker, "let me explain something to you. Magic chooses people for a very specific reason. Do you know why?"_

_Trowa had thought the selection to be random, like genetics. It wasn't something he had ever thought about or ever heard anyone discuss around him. He felt rather dumbly not knowing all that much about something he was around every day of his life. "No," he said quietly._

_Quatre pulled away from him and sat up straight, trying to regain a look of composure. "They are born with it to help them find their soulmate." Trowa looked at him peculiarly. It wasn't quite the grand explanation he was expecting. Quatre had expected the look and continued on, "You see, the more powerfully attached magic is to someone, the more times they've failed to find their soulmate. People who use magic always feel the absence of their soulmate, causing them at times, great suffering. An affinity with magic isn't something I'd wish on anyone, most of all you. It is unnatural for those not born with it to tap into it, because once you use it, there's no going back. You are condemning yourself to Hell and each lifetime you fail brings you another step closer..." Quatre weakly balled his hands in his lap and looked away, as if he couldn't bare to look at Trowa any longer. Staring at the tapestry behind his desk, the clan leader's voice sounded distant. "I **always** feel it. It pounds in my veins, infesting everything around me, a writhing, unbearable sadness that festers in my blood." He reached aross his stomach and hugged his other arm, looking tearfully into Trowa's wide eyes. "Is that what you want, Trowa?"_

_Trowa's stomach did a sickening lunge, looking at how pitiful Quatre looked, lying there broken on the floor. "No," he managed to say, "I'm sorry, Quatre. No one ever...I...I didn't know." Trowa pulled his knees across the floor and wrapped his arms around his friend, squeezing him gently. "But, I have faith in you," he whispered softly in his ear, "If anyone can do it Quatre, it's you. I promise, you'll find who you're looking for." He tilted Quatre's head up by curving his finger under his chin, as a single tear fell down his porcelain cheek. Quatre suddenly reached out for Trowa, grabbing the front of his shirt and burying his face into his chest. "Thank you, Trowa," he sobbed._

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Quatre's dim voice shook him out of the memory. "They're not far..." he said, slowly opening his eyes and dreamily gazing off into the distance. He paused for a moment, looking uncertain, then took off running. "This way!" he shouted, tearing into the dark jungle. "Follow me! Hurry!"

,.•´)•(•.¸

Heero looked more bored than tired as he circled the rocky, secluded area. Right behind him, Duo leaned tiredly against a tree. "Is this it then?" he asked, crossing his arms sluggishly.

The full moon's soft blue light fought through the dense canopy of treetops above, casting thin patches of itself around the small, makeshift cavern the lumpy rock formations had created over time. Even though the sun had gone down, the air did not feel any cooler. It was still humid and thick as ever. Duo reluctantly pushed himself off the tree and sat down on the nearest rock he came to, throughly exhausted. He watched as Heero inspected the area, then without a word, walked right past him and back into the shadowy woods. "Oh, come on man! What's wrong with this?" Duo grumbled irritably. Damn if he was going to wander around all night in the dark looking for a better place to stay.

Heero did not turn around. He simply called out, "This will do. I'm going to find us some more water. Stay here."

Duo looked down at himself as Heero's footsteps faded into the distance. His clothes were nearly drenched in sweat and he was more than certain that he had acquired a rash or two in various uncomfortable places. He had just spent hours, hacking and walking, his feet ached, his back ached, and his arms felt numb. He lifted up his arm and took a tentative whiff. "Urgh...gross," he mumbled, immediately putting it back down. Smelly and sticky, he desperately needed a bath... a shower... something... anything. He stood up and headed off in Heero's opposite direction.

_'Stay here. Ha. It's not like I'm not going to get lost. Not going far... just need a bath.'_

Duo walked around aimlessly for several minutes, about to give up, when he smelt the air grow thicker. There had to be water nearby; he knew it. He followed the scent, hopeful to find a way of reclaiming some state of cleanliness. He pushed past a fat branch and smiled as he laid eyes on a spacious, dark body of water. It was quite large, though it wasn't really a pond and not exactly (what Duo would call) a lake.

Duo walked to the edge and ran his hand across the surface. The water was pleasantly cool to the touch. He shimmied off his boots and pants and tucked them under a bush. He carefully slid into the water, keeping to the edge. Suddenly, he remembered something about Amazon waters and quickly covered his "goods".

_'What if there were piranhas in the water?' _He looked down, frowning_. 'Nah. They're only in rivers, right?' _He looked around. _ 'And this certainly isn't a river.'_

Still cautious, Duo waded out further into the dark water. He stood there quietly, looking around for several moments before he was finally able to relax. He stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders back, sinking down further into the water.

Before he got a chance to start washing his filth off, his eye caught various branches shaking back and forth around on the other side of the water. Duo quickly moved behind an old log stuck near the edge of the embankment and carefully peered over it. A person emerged from the shadows and walked to the edge of the other side's shore. It was Heero.

_'Oh, now how in the hell did he get over there so quick?'_

Duo crouched lower, not wanting to be seen. He watched as the scribe bent down and put his hand in the water and pulled his fingers up to taste it. He then took the canteen and ducked it into the water, filling it up. He stood up and twisted the lid back on the canister, then removed his heavy cloak.

Quietly, Duo watched as Heero gazed around the outskirts of the water, then started removing more articles of clothing. Duo gasped and turned around when he realized what he was about to do.

_'What am I doing? He's going to get naked! I can't watch this.' _

Duo knew it was wrong, knew he shouldn't, but the hunter couldn't find the will to stop himself, miscievious curiosity was urging him on.

_'Oh, come on. He'll never know...' _

With a small, devilish smile on his face, Duo turned back around.

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Heero pulled his sweaty shirt over his head and threw it over a branch. He had time for a quick rinse off. He sat down and began unlacing his boots. He was thankful that so far they had not ran into any trouble. Perhaps their journey would be undisturbed, unlike his journeys here before. With their bargain, surely the witch would give them safer passage now. Maybe he should have told Duo about the things she allowed to dwell here. Heero had not seen any sign of them tonight. And it was best not to put Duo though any additional stress than he already was. Hopefully the hunter would be asleep by the time he returned and he wouldn't have to answer any more questions. He pulled off one of the boots as a warm breeze brought the smell of the water past his nose and with it, another more distinctive scent, something he'd recognize anywhere. He bowed his head and glared up through his bangs, surveying the opposite side of the water.

_'I know you're here.'_

His keen eyes swept the woods and shoreline until he finally spotted who he was looking for. Duo was in the water, crouched behind a log.

_'Doesn't listen too well, does he?'_

Heero pretended not to see him as he took off his other boot. He unbuttoned his brown pants and pulled them off, silently noting that Duo was continuing to watch him. The stirring feeling Heero got whenever he was around Duo was something he couldn't quite describe. It was distracting and made him feel like he couldn't concentrate, like a large bug flying noisily around a small room.

_'Why does he make me feel this way?' _

Putting aside how he felt, it was far more perplexing the way Duo behaved around him. Heero had tried to ignore the way Duo acted towards him in the Divide, especially considering the way he reacted after the unintentional kiss they shared when they first met, but the sinful glow in his dark violet eyes seamed to reveal more about how he felt than even Duo himself seemed to realize. Then again, maybe Heero was just putting too much into it. Years of being away from humans and in the constant company of vampires had finally messed with his ability to read their emotions.

Heero needed to know how Duo felt about him. It meant everything. He could venture guesses all day long, but it would do him no good. What he needed was _proof_, beyond a shadow of a doubt, and there in lied his problem. He had been around Duo long enough to know that it would be otherwise difficult to get a straight answer out of him simply by asking. No, he would have to get his proof some other way. If Duo felt the way Heero believed he did, then he had a big problem. Heero had to think of something and he had to think of something quick. He straigtened up and looked over the dark water.

_'It's the mission that matters.'_

,.•´)•(•.¸

Passing clouds cut across the full moon, shadowing the scene below. Through near darkness, Duo could still see Heero moving around, but he was nothing more than a dark blur as he removed the last of his clothes and dove into the water. Several minutes past with no sign of Heero. Duo's heart began to beat wildly in his chest as his eyes darted back and forth across the smooth surface of the water.

_'Where is he?'_

The moon emerged from the clouds and everything was visible once more but, there was no sign that Heero was in the water at all.

_'Could he have drowned?' _

Duo put a hand on the log and started to stand up when a voice echoed in the back of his head, _'Don't move. He's coming.'_

Duo crouched back down as Heero's head broke the surface of the water, no more than fifteen feet away. Heero turned around and stood up, the water coming to his waist, as he looked back towards the shoreline on the other side. Duo breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He hadn't been seen. Duo ducked down even lower, he turned back to face the water's edge, his head against the log. His wide violet eyes darted from side to side, quickly accessing his possible escape routes. There was no way he could leave without being seen. Any moment now, Heero was surely going to discover him hiding there. What would he say to him? He didn't want to think about it.

_'Don't move. Wait him out.'_

Duo looked out into the dark forest. He could hear Heero still moving around, but it was killing him not to be able to see what he was doing. Duo found himself drawn back around. The scribe was still facing the opposite direction, nonchalantly running his hands through his messy mop of brunette hair, sprinkling the excess water out of it. Violet eyes unconsciously traveled down Heero's well toned back, admiring his thin muscled form. They finally came to rest on a strange mark on his shoulder. Duo frowned at it. It looked like a scar, lightly discolored and rising off his tanned skin. Duo tilted his head to get a better look.

"Why are you watching me?"

Duo clamped his hand around his mouth, his heart catching in his throat.

_'When did he notice?'_

Neither Heero nor Duo moved; it was like time had froze. For a moment there was nothing. Duo swallowed the lump in his throat as Heero turned around and looked dead at him. There was no choice, but to face the music.

"I wasn't watching you for your information!" Duo snapped. "I was here first, minding my own business, when you showed up! I turned around once I saw you." Duo looked at him as confidently as possible, not breaking eye contact. If he did, it would look like he was lying and after all, it was half of the truth...

"No you didn't." Heero replied.

Duo could feel his face starting to flush. "How would you know?" he said, making his voice as even as possible.

"Why don't you just admit it? You were watching me." Heero said lightly, crossing his arms across his chest in a mocking manner.

Duo's face grew hot. _'There's no way he could have seen me from that far away, especially in the dark. No, he's just trying to get to me.'_

Duo knew exactly how to plead his case. "You were way over there!" he said defensively, coming from behind the log and pointing off into the distance. "And no one can see that far in the dark." His violet eyes smiled in a mocking way. "I think you're imagining things."

"Oh, really?" Heero replied, matching his tone, "Then what was..." He immediately trailed off, his dark blue eyes quickly darted to the side, then back on Duo. The hunter took a wary step backwards as Heero quickly moved closer. Duo didn't get far, his back soon scraped against the rough bark of the log. For some strange reason, Duo got the feeling Heero was about to hit him. Duo's heart beat fast as Heero's commanding prescence stopped just short of him, but a punch never came. "We should move," he whispered urgently, now looking past Duo and into the woods. "There are Lobishomen just off shore in the woods."

"What?!" Duo blurted loudly. It had to be a joke. He started to look over his shoulder when Heero grabbed him roughly by the arm pulled him down. Duo tried to jerk himself away. "Are you fucking with me, man?"

Dark blue eyes widened on Duo. Heero covered his hand over Duo's mouth and pulled him down by the arm with the other. "No," he whispered desperately, squeezing his arm tighter to emphasize his point, "Be quiet."

Then, Duo heard the crack of a twig just off the embankment. Heero gave him the 'I told you so' look and released his grip on him as the two crouched lower, so that only their noses remained above water. Would they see his clothes and know they were there? Maybe they didn't have to. Maybe they would smell them first.

Their distinctive appearance during the full moon had given these breed of vampires the deserving name "werewolves" by many tales and legends. Duo had never seen one in real life and was curious to what they would look like compared to the pictures he'd seen of them in text books. Duo could hear their rattled breath as the brazilian vampires moved closer. He leaned over ever so slightly to steal a look at them. He at least wanted to know where they were exactly. Heero tried to stop him, but the water would have slopped around if he did, alerting them to their presence. Duo peered around the log. There were three of them, emerging from the wood, the slick hair on their backs glowing a silvery blue in the moonlight. They seemed to take no notice of Duo's discarded clothes as a two of them leaned over, putting their faces in the water to have a drink. Duo flinched as the other looked at the moon and howled.

Heero reached out and grabbed Duo's sides in a desperate effort to hold him still. Duo carefully turned back around. When he saw how scared Heero looked, the severity of their situation hit him hard. Here they were, totally naked, with no weapons, no magic, nothing. If they were found, these things were going to tear them apart. Maybe Heero didn't know how to fight without using magic. What then? Duo tried not to think about it. All they could do was be still and wait, hoping they would go unseen. The warm wind blew around them, making it difficult to hear. Duo didn't dare turn back around. Through patches of still air, he could hear them scuffing around along the edge, then, at last, silence. The two hidden boys didn't dare move for several minutes. Finally, once a comfortable amount of time had passed, Heero peered over the edge of their hiding spot. "They're gone," he whispered.

Duo relaxed his head against the moss covered log, closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. Heero sunk back down waist deep in the water and roughly grabbed Duo by the arm. Duo jerked his eyes open. "You could have gotten us killed," the scribe said sharply, jerking Duo closer, "I'm only going to say this once, so listen close." He looked around vaguely, like he was listening for something, then returned to looking at Duo, speaking softer. "It's important you trust me. Tomorrow, when we see the witch, you'll have to do as I say. You can't afford to stop and assess why I've asked you to do something. It could cost us both our lives or worse."

_'Did he just say or **worse**?'_

Duo didn't know what to say. He just looked at him, winching at the surprisingly strong grip Heero had on his arm. Heero looked at the arm and let it go, turning around, probably making sure there were no more Lobishomen lurking on the other side of the lake. Rubbing his arm, Duo's eyes once again fell on the strange mark on Heero's back. Even and straight, it was to perfectly shaped to be a scar. It had to be something else, a tattoo or a brand maybe. It was filled with meticulous little, dot, line and slant combinations in straight expertly crafted lines, building on one another to form a triangle. Duo had never seen anything quite like it.

"What is it?" he asked, curiously.

Heero didn't move. "I'm making sure there are no more."

"No, that on there on your back. What is it?"

Heero turned around and looked at Duo. His mouth twitched somewhat, giving Duo something that barely registered as a smirk. "Don't change the subject."

"What?"

"Why were you watching me?"

_'Oh, no. He's back on that...'_ Duo felt the blood rushing back to his face. He picked a random tree across the other side of the water and stared at. "I don't know, okay," he huffed, "I couldn't help it. I didn't really want to."

Duo shifted uncomfortably, a small voice chuckling in the back of his head, _'But you did, didn't you?...'_

Heero looked at the hunter indifferently. "Why did you agree to come with me?"

Duo wrestled with the question in his head. Even once he proved that he has nothing to do with Celes's prophecy, there would still be no one to witness it, save for Heero. Everyone else would still believe it was him, so what exactly _was_ he trying to prove? Duo shook his head. "I just want my life back," he said tiredly.

Heero moved closer to Duo, not taking his eyes off him. Duo instinctively backed up until his back hit the log. "If you are the one I'm looking for," Heero said, "then I need to know you are going to return with me and stay to help me find a way to fix this. Otherwise, there's really no point in us going."

Duo eyes fell unconsciously fell on Heero's lips while he talked. He sounded so sad. Duo could feel his ears turning red at the thought of how close Heero was to him and how _naked_ he was and now Heero was asking him if he was going to go with him, _stay_ with him. Where would they go and what would they have to do together? When was he going to stop moving closer?

"Duo?"

Heero was only a foot away now. Duo looked up as Heero's eyes drifted down to his own lips. "Did you hear me?"

Everything was playing out like some kind of dream. His heart beat wildly in his throat. It was hard to breathe. His eyes fluttered back down to Heero's lips. He felt something strange, pulling him towards Heero, something he didn't quite understand. He spoke without leaving much thought behind it. "Yes..." he breathed, looking into Heero's dark blue eyes, "I'll stay with you."

Heero leaned in, stopping before he touched Duo's nose, their hot breath mingling together in the humid night air. Duo's mind was racing. _'Go ahead. You know you want to. No one's here...no one has to know.' _

A reckless daring seized him as Duo closed his eyes and leaned forward, quickly pressing his lips against Heero's without leaving time to change his mind. He desperately reached out for Heero, cupping his face and deepening their kiss. He ran his hand through his wet hair, pulling him closer to him. Duo opened his mouth and Heero slipped his tongue in, pressing his thin, muscled body against him.

,.•´)•(•.¸

Heero already knew the answer to his question and knowing full well what he had to do next, but it was like he couldn't stop himself. Duo let out a pleasurable moan as he kissed him roughly. Heero breathed in his sweaty smell like it was an exotic spice he was forbidden to have. He knew he had to stop this, but felt powerless to do so as Duo ran his hands down his back, breaking away from his mouth and softly began kissing his neck. A sensation Heero had never felt before spread through his body, like fire in his blood. Heero leaned his neck back as Duo's soft lips slid down it. Slowly he opened his eyes, staring up at the beautiful night sky.

_'You've got to stop him.' _

He closed his eyes again as Duo ran his hand along the back of his neck, pulling him down again and captured his lips once more in a hot, passionate kiss.

_'I can't...'_

Heero kissed him back as his hands traveled down Duo's thin sides, letting his smooth skin slide between his fingers. Heero enjoyed the effect he was having on the brunette, as Duo let out a stiffened moan.

_'It's gone too far.'_

Duo suddenly tensed up. It felt like glass had shattered, the feeling was broke. Heero opened his eyes. Duo's violet eyes, darted back and forth in disbelief, but refused to look at Heero, like he was ashamed of what just happened. "H-Heero," he stuttered. Registering the amount of fear in Duo's voice, it only took Heero half a second to realize the real reason Duo had stopped.

Heero quickly pushed himself off Duo and turned around. The vampires were back. Saliva foamed from their mouths like short slimy ropes, dripping on the ground as they looked at the boys with a mad, ravenous hunger in their cold, black eyes. They beared their long, pointy teeth in wide, savage smiles, moving steadily towards them. Heero forced Duo behind him as his mind rapidly began compiling a list of possible attacks and outcome scenarios, none of which resulted in them getting out of this situation in any way unscathed.

,.•´)•(•.¸

Trowa felt like they were walking around in circles. He swung his torch to get a better look at where he was going. Everything looked the same to him after spending hours looking at nothing but trees and vines in darkness. Ahead, the blueish-white outline of Quatre stopped dead in his tracks. "What is it, Quatre?" Trowa called, but Quatre didn't answer. He remained frozen in his place.

Trowa walked in front of him to find he had his eyes shut, and his brow was scrunched up in concentration. "Something's happening between them."

"What's happening?" Trowa asked, looking at Quatre solicitously.

Quatre put his hand over his heart, his fingers curling into the fabric of his robe. "I'm not quite sure. It's something..." he sought for the right word, "intense." Quatre opened his eyes, looking at Trowa worriedly, "And they're not alone."

"What do you mean they're not alone? Who else is here?" he asked, holding his torch up as if he expected to see someone standing around out in the open.

"Lobishomen. The Serpent Witch allows them infinite passage through the barrier, as an extra precaution to guard against unwanted intruders."

Trowa swallowed hard, "Unwanted intruders like us, you mean."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?"

Quatre shrugged, "Would it had changed your mind?"

Trowa didn't like what Quatre was suggesting. "No," he said at once.

"I didn't think so. Put your torch out. The vampires are close, best not to alert them to our presence." Quatre bent over and rolled his torch in the soft dirt, pulling up his robe and stomping it further with his shoe until it died. Trowa did the same, although not as enthusiastically, considering he now knew them to be miles from magic in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by vampires.

Guided by patches of moonlight, the two moved through the jungle as quietly as possible, Trowa constantly stealing glances over his shoulder to make sure they weren't being followed (or hunted). "Over there," Quatre said quietly. Trowa looked down as they suddenly hit a clearing where the ground ended and a pool of water began.

Trowa looked at the spot Quatre was pointing at. Trowa saw Heero and Duo crouched behind a log just out of sight of the three Lobishomen prowling near the shore of the far end of the water. Trowa started to run, but Quatre put his arm out, stopping him, "Trowa! No!" the blonde hissed, "If you run over there now, they'll be seen, _we'll_ be seen."

The wind was blowing strong behind them, blowing Trowa's bangs across both his eyes. He pushed his long hair out of his face and looked disapprovingly at Quatre. "I won't stand by and do nothing, Quatre."

"It's fine, look." he whispered. Trowa looked back over to see the vampires sniff the air, then slowly creep back into the woods. "See, they're leaving."

The wind blew again and for the first time Trowa noticed how bad he had been sweating as the wind chilled the wet patches of his clothing. The wind carried the scent of Quatre's sweat past his nose and Trowa looked over at Quatre with wide eyes. "I think I know why they're leaving."

Quatre looked at Trowa gravely, "I think you're right. Quick in the tree!"

The two clawed their way quickly up the largest tree they could find, while still being able to see Heero and Duo. At the top, Trowa looked again at the two people in the water down below. At first glance, Trowa thought that they had tried to outrun the Lobishomen and they had jumped in the water fully clothed, but now he could see that they were both shirtless. He watched as the Heero grabbed Duo by the arm and said something to him, but Trowa couldn't tell what it was, they were too far away. Heero turned his back on Duo and looked around the lake. Trowa took this moment to try and spot the vampires he knew to be coming for them, but could see no sign of them. His gaze was once again drawn to Heero and Duo, watching them was a comforting distraction to the very dangerous situation he and Quatre had now found themselves in. Trowa looked over at Quatre, who seemed remarkably calm considering what was happening. His face looked very placid and he sat, not looking around for the vampires, but instead looking intently on the two people in the water below. Trowa again looked down as Heero slowly turned around and started moving towards Duo.

"Can you hear what they're saying?" Trowa asked the blonde quietly.

Quatre only stared down at the people below him. He knew what was about to happen. He could feel it in the air, an emotion more powerful than anything he'd ever felt off anyone before. Trowa squinted at the small figures. Heero leaned over Duo. _ 'What's he doing?' _Trowa's mouth dropped as the two began kissing. "Oh my god!" he whispered loudly, looking at Quatre for confirmation of what he was seeing, because he couldn't believe it, "Are they kissing?!"

Quatre's eyes remained unabashly fixed on the two people in the water down below, running their hands over one another. "Yes," he said, transfixed, "Why didn't I see it before?"

"Well, it just now happened."

Quatre suddenly looked over somewhere past Duo and Heero. "Oh, no!" he exclaimed, breathless.

Trowa looked over. The vampires were heading straight towards their friends, meanwhile, they stood blissfully unaware.

Trowa pulled a large, silver stake out of his pocket, put the weapon between his teeth and started to shimmy down the tree, Quatre right behind him.

,.•´)•(•.¸

Their situation was hopeless. Duo could see the next few minutes playing out in front of him like some bad horror movie. Nevertheless, he was not about to go down without a fight, cowering behind someone. He moved out from behind Heero and stood beside him. Heero looked quickly around. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? Hello?! _I'm_ the professional vampire slayer here. We're going to fight them together. Two on three is better than one on three."

A voice called out from behind the vampires, causing Duo to smile wide, "What about four on three? Not that it matters. It's not like any random rank amateur couldn't take out these undead rejects."

"Trowa! Are you insane?" Quatre hissed warningly, tugging on his arm, "Taunting will only make them angry!"

"Don't worry," Trowa said smoothly, twirling the short stake between his fingers, "They won't be angry for long. Soon, they'll be dead. Oh, wait! They're already dead. Let me rephrase. Soon they'll be _dust_."

The vampires, however, looked less than convinced. Two of them turned around and headed towards the new arrivals while the biggest still stalked closer to Duo and Heero. Duo could hear yelling and flashes of clothing moving in the moonlight, but his attention was focused on the snarling beast in front of them, ready to maul them at any moment. As they backed up further and further, Duo could feel the water getting deeper and deeper. The vampire gave a loud howl, stood up and lunged straight for them.

Duo balled up his fist and started to move, but Heero pushed him hard out of the way as the vampire jumped on top of him and the two fell underwater.

"Heero!" Duo screamed at the large slosh of water. The water erupted violently, then, almost as soon as the two went down, Heero came right back up, holding a pointed, knarled branch that looked like it had been underwater for a very long time.

Duo smirked as Heero looked down at the branch, almost like he didn't expect it to be there at all. "That'll do pig," Duo said, smiling, "That'll do..."

Heero frowned. "Pig?"

Duo shook his head, waving his hand dismissively. "Nevermind."

"Are we done now?" Trowa chided in a bored voice from the embankment. He was standing straight backed with his arms crossed, while Quatre stood bent over beside him with his hands on his knees, panting and heaving, the expression of a person who hasn't worked out in a long time on his flushed, pink face. Duo smiled at him. "Not so easy is it, Quatre? When you actually have to rely on fighting skill to save your neck."

Quatre forced himself into an upright position, though he still was breathing rather forcibly. He brushed himself off, sliding his stake back in his pocket. "I think in this instance, you can be a little more grateful, Maxwell."

Heero dove under the water and started swimming to the other side. Trowa called out behind him, "And where are you going?"

Duo shrugged his shoulders, "He's probably just going to get his clothes."

Duo replayed the sentence in his mind, when he saw the look Trowa was giving him. _'Oh, that sounds bad.'_

"We accidentally ran into each other!" Duo added quickly. "He was looking for drinking water, and I was looking for a bath and we both kinda ended up in the same place."

"And getting water involved Heero losing his clothes?" Trowa asked.

Duo felt his ears burning again. "No! He got the water, then decided to wash off too. He didn't even know I was over here until he swam over."

"Oh," said Trowa casually, "Is that all? So, we didn't see you two making out?"

"Oh, god," Duo grumbled, rubbing his face in his hands, trying not to look as embarrassed as he actually was. "You were watching us! Look, it's none of your business! I can't-"

Quatre wasn't listening. His eyes were following Heero to the shore on the other side. He wasn't about to say anything about the situation until there was as much distance between him and Heero as possible. Duo was yelling so loud it was hard for him to think. "I mean, how would you like it if _I_-"

"-Duo, shut up!" Quatre yelled suddenly, "Do you understand what Heero's _doing_ for you?"

"What?" Duo said, not entirely sure he knew what Quatre was going on about.

"He's selling his soul."

Duo jaw dropped slightly as he stared at Quatre. "He's.._what_?"

"People sell their souls to the Serpent Witch for favors; things they can't get anywhere else and probably shouldn't have otherwise." Quatre stole a quick glance in Heero's direction. He was behind a bush dressing, stiffly looking around. "I think he's had dealings with her in the past, but has somehow managed to retain his soul up til now. However, I doubt that's the case this time. You two can't go through with this. We should all leave, now." Quatre looked back across to the other side's shore again. Heero was gone.

"How do you know he's selling his soul? Did he tell you that?"

"No, but-"

"Well then, how do you know? You're just guessing. You don't know anything."

Quatre looked at him plainly, "Yes, I do. Duo, you have to understand, finding a way to break the vampire's curse has been Heero's all consuming desire and _she_ knows that. She's aware that he doesn't care what he has to do or what it costs him. It's souls like that, filled with such overwhelming drive and desire, that she prizes most of all."

"What are you wanting me to do here? Say, _"_Oh, thank you for the nice gesture of selling your soul on my behalf, but I think I just wanna go back home." Duo said mockingly, waving his hands about. "Oh, and good luck with the whole not being hunted down by the witch and flayed alive stuff! I couldn't do that to anyone!" Duo paused for a moment and reconsidered the notion. "Well, maybe there are a couple of people I could do it to, but he's not one of them."

Quatre stared at Duo like he had grown another head, "Duo, how can you make jokes at a time like this? Don't you understand what you're about to do?"

"He understands," said Heero dully, coming out of the woods behind them, "Now, explain to me something. How exactly did you two get here?"

"The same way you did." Quatre said, looking at Heero avidly.

"Where did you get the potion?" Heero demanded, sounding and looking a little too unnerved for Duo's liking.

"The Maganacs had one in storage, kept from hundreds of years ago."

"One?" Heero repeated, his voice grave and stretched, "You don't have the other?"

Quatre blinked and shook his head, not following him, "What other?"

"The one she gives you once you reach her, the antidote, Quatre. You don't have it?" Quatre only stared at him blankly, like he was speaking in some language he didn't understand.

"Antidote?!" Trowa said at once, looking at Quatre in slight disbelief. "We're poisoned?"

Heero looked at Quatre disapprovingly, his voice sounded harsh, "What were you two thinking? This didn't concern either of you."

Quatre looked like he was going to be sick, "We were coming to save Duo."

"Not any more you're not," Heero said, looking at the both of them sympathetically, "You're here to save yourselves now. You haven't a choice; you'll have to come with us and try to convince her to give it to you too. Otherwise, you'll be dead within the next twenty four hours."

"What?!" said Duo and Trowa together, while Quatre continued to look like he was about to vomit.

"When were you going to tell _me_ this?" Duo asked. He didn't sound as shocked as he thought he should. Perhaps, it was because he was use to Heero not telling him things now.

"It never mattered to us," Heero told him, "She'll give it to us because I've already made a deal with her, but your _friends_...are an entirely different matter. They'll have to rely on her good grace."

Trowa's face turned white as a ghost, "We're dead."

"Not yet we're not," said Quatre quietly, staring blankly at the dark water, the bright blue moonlight giving his face an unearthly glow.

"I guess this is the part when you tell me who's soul you've got in your pocket that you plan on trading her for that potion." Heero crossed his arms, waiting for Quatre to shake out of his stupor.

Duo thought it must have been a joke, a bad one at that, but no one was laughing. Quatre slowly shook his head, then looked down at his own dirty, white robes and carefully put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a white bundle of cloth. He slowly pulled away the cloth and revealed a clear bottle filled with something hazy, corked and covered in dark wax.

Duo eyed the bottle transfixed, apparently Heero hadn't been joking after all. "That's what a soul looks like?"

"No," Heero corrected, "that's what a trapped soul looks like. Now, who's is it, Quatre?"

"I can't tell you that. But trust me, she's going to want it," he said tensely, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself rather than Heero.

"If you don't want to tell me, fine, then don't expect my help." Heero said, shrugging his cloak off and walking towards Duo, who was still in the water. "Come on, Duo. You need some sleep." He spread the cloak open and blocked Duo from view. Thankful no one would have to see his nakedness, Duo quickly walked out of the water and wrapped himself in the offered garment. He tossed his braid over his shoulder and twisted as much water out of it as possible. Dead silence hung in the air as he walked over to the bush and quickly pulled on his underwear, his back turned so that no one could see him.

"Heero, you can't go through with it!" Quatre blurted, unable to contain himself. He reached out and grabbed Heero by the arm as he passed him. "Your connection to him, you must felt it. You have to. If you go through with this...If you are separated..."

Duo looked at Heero, his face scrunched up in confusion, "What the hell is he talking about?"

Heero jerked his arm away from Quatre. "I don't know. What _are_ you talking about, Quatre?"

"You can't feel it?!" Quatre said incredibly, looking between Heero and Duo, shaking his head, "Heero, he's your soulmate!"

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Man, this was tough to write. I found it much easier to do the interactions with Quatre and Trowa than the ones with Duo and Heero. At least I finally got to show Heero's point of view, determined and focused on one thing and one thing only: his mission. Did you expect something else? So, does Quatre have it right? Keep reading to find out!

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	8. The Tree of the Dead

**_Author's Note:_** Wow! My fastest update ever! So, how have things changed between Heero and Duo? Keep reading to find out! Also, at this time I would like to remind you all that my story is rated M for a reason. And part of that reason starts here. Wow, you're still reading. I thought you would have started scrolling down like mad by now...

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _The Tree of the Dead_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

"I know you don't care about yourself, but please, Heero, for the love of God, think about Duo." Quatre's eyes shifted nervously to Duo, who looked as if he had just narrowly missed getting shot in the head with a bullet.

"You think I believe you, do you?" Heero said in a bored voice.

"You think I'm lying at a time like _this_?!" Quatre yelled angrily, sounding more insulted than anything.

Heero's voice was low and harsh. "I _know_ you're lying. You and I both know there's only one way to see if two people are soulmates - and neither you nor I can do it. It would seemed that you're just saying what you feel you have to to stop Duo from coming with me. You'd do well to worry less about Duo and more about yourself."

Quatre looked anxiously over at Trowa, his eyes pleading for some kind of help, but Trowa wasn't looking at him. He was looking at Duo instead. The clan leader felt like a lawyer being demanded to present key evidence to a jury, when he had none. He didn't like revealing why he could feel other's emotions. In fact, there were only one person outside his sisters that knew the truth: Trowa. And he wasn't about to add these two to the list, at least not if he could help it.

Heero turned towards Duo and put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. Let's go."

"Heero you can't!" Quatre repeated more desperately. "You must listen to me. He_ is _your soulmate! _How_ I know this isn't important. The important thing is what happens next. If you go through with this tomorrow, you know good and well what will happen to his soul." Quatre snapped around and looked at Duo, who was still standing there quietly with the same look of contained shock on his face, his eyes somewhat unfocused, staring at Heero. "I've told you what he's done. Do you understand what's going to happen to you if you let him go?"

The question hung dead in the air as both Duo and Heero turned to look at Quatre in equal states of confusion. Duo opened his mouth to speak, but Heero beat him to the punch. "Nevermind that," Heero said quickly, "Tell me, Quatre. Just what is it you think will happen to him tomorrow?"

Quatre expression remained unfaltered. He looked more serious than Duo had ever seen before. All the times Quatre had yelled at him after he did something wrong paled in comparison to this. "I know what you've done. You've sold your soul."

"You think I sold my soul?" Heero said with a slight mockery to the words. "_That's_ what this is all about?" Heero expression darken as he looked upon Quatre, frowning hatefully. "How _dumb_ do you think I am?"

Duo could see the color rising in Quatre's cheeks. "But I thought-"

"What?" Heero demanded, "You thought I would sell my soul just to _view_ his? And what if he's not the one we're all looking for? I would just be out my soul with absolutely nothing to show for it? I thought you were smarter than that, Quatre. And now you've risked your life and his," he inclined his head towards Trowa, "for nothing."

The mention of his and Quatre's imminent deaths once again sent Trowa's stomach in a twisting knot. He looked around woods with the disturbing feeling they were being watched. His green eyes shifted cautiously through the moonlit darkness while Heero and Quatre continued to argue.

"You can't trust her, Heero," Quatre said, recovering his tone, "She is evil_, pure evil_. The only thing she believes in is pain and suffering and you are playing right into her hands. I hate to tell you, but you've already sold your soul whether you meant to or not."

Heero let out a snorted laughter that did nothing to suit him. "You know what I think?" he mused, "That you-"

Trowa let out a heavy sigh and shook his head at the bickering boys. The pointlessness of this conversation could wait. "That's enough," he said loudly, "Now, both of you stop it! None of this changes anything. We all are in the same boat here - go tomorrow and see the witch or die. There it is, plain and simple. Quatre, you heard what Heero said. There's no point in trying to convince him not to go. He _has_ to go. We all do. Now, let's just go with them back to their camp. We could use the sleep."

Duo turned slowly to follow Heero, who immediately took off into the woods without a single look back, leaving Quatre and Trowa to themselves. Quatre folded his hands in front of him, closed his eyes sadly and slowly shook his head, his pale hair falling over his face.

"Quatre," Trowa said, putting a hand lightly on his shoulder, "it's the only way."

"No, it's not," Quatre said blankly, a tinge of anguish evident in his soft voice, "Trowa, I thought you of all people would understand what I was trying to do. You could have tried to help me out. I trust you understand what will happen to Duo now." He looked up sadly at Duo's back as he disappeared with Heero into the darkness. "Death is nothing compared to what happens to those two tomorrow."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Heero lead the way back to their campsite in silence. The whole way there Duo walked quietly behind him, staring at his back, as he walked through the jungle in his boots and boxers, Heero's cloak hanging like a thick blanket over his thin body. Heero could have at least waited until he was fully dressed before he stormed off. He pulled the heavily worn cloak tightly around his body, clutching his damp clothes in his arm while his mind raced to catch up to everything that just happened. Could Quatre had really been telling the truth? Was Heero really his soulmate? Duo's body gave an inward shudder as a vivid image of the two of them naked, covered in sweat and wrapped in bedsheets blissfully settled into his mind.

_'Why else would I feel this way about him?' _

When they arrived at camp, Duo settled himself into one of caverns with a wide hole, where he would still have a good view of the jungle - if anything else wanted to pay them a visit he at least wanted to see it coming. He watched as moments later Trowa and Quatre entered the clearing and sat down beside one another. Heero wordlessly passed them and dropped the canteen in Quatre's lap, then wandered somewhere out of view. Trowa and Quatre immediately started engaging in hushed tones, quietly disagreeing about something. Duo had a vague idea what. Trowa shook his head and removed his uniform jacket and bundled it up, then offered it to Quatre. "For the last time, it's not your fault," he said, finally loud enough for Duo to hear, "Drop it, Quatre. Get some sleep."

Giving up, Quatre reluctantly curled on the ground where he was sitting, tucking Trowa's jacket under his head. Trowa bent down beside him and threw a dark look over in Duo's direction. A sudden feeling of guilt stabbed at his insides and Duo quickly looked away. They had came here for him, to save _him_ and now they were the ones who needed saving. Trowa was probably hating him right now.

Duo didn't think he could get to sleep if he tried right now. Too many thoughts were running rampant through his brain. What was going to happen tomorrow? Would the witch let Trowa and Quatre live? If Heero didn't give the witch his soul, then what _did_ he give her? Something valuable, no doubt. What was as valuable as your soul?

Several possible answers slid into his deliberations, but Duo couldn't focus on any of them, a more pressing question kept invading his thoughts. W_hy_ was she helping Heero at all? Heero said it himself.

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_"If she can create magic, then can't she release the lost souls?"_

_"Don't be stupid! Why do you think she would want to do that? Their curse operates in her favor. The lost souls can't leave the Divide until their shells are destroyed, at which time they go straight to Hell, plus they end up taking their soulmates with them! Her job is to gather souls for Hell, not to make it to where they can get into Heaven."_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Heero was definitely hiding something. But what? And more importantly, _why_? Despite any uncertainty Duo had about Heero, he could not ignore how he felt about him. The elusive feeling slipped into everything he did, clouding his judgment.

All this was complicated and Duo didn't know how to feel about any of it. He was excited, nervous and terrified about tomorrow, all at the same time. He was certain of only one thing: nothing was ever going to be the same.

Duo let out a loud sigh, drew his legs close to his chest, putting his arms around them. He tiredly closed his eyes and buried his face in Heero's cloak. He nuzzled the garment slightly with his cheek and slowly inhaled its unique smell - Heero's smell, letting all thoughts drift away until there was nothing left but the sweet memory of Heero's lips on his.

"I'm going to need that back." Heero's voice called out from the modest entryway.

Duo looked up with a startle. Heero was leaning against the cave's opening, the moonlight casting his skin in an earthly glow.

_'Beautiful.'_ Duo thought, admiring the fact that even though it was dark, he could still tell Heero had blue eyes. "Duo?" Heero said, frowning, "Are you okay?"

Duo shook his head out of his reverie. "What? I mean, yes. I'm fine," Duo said, letting out an unnecessary cough, then stood up and shrugged the large black garment off, completely forgetting he had on nothing but his underwear. "Er, thanks for letting me borrow it."

"I didn't think you would have wanted to walk out naked," Heero said in a plain voice.

Duo gave a small smirk. "No."

Duo caught Heero's eyes starting to drift down his bare front before he quickly turned his head and looked away. "Well, you better put your clothes on and try to get some sleep," he said, as he started to walk away, "We need to leave by dawn."

Heero was almost out of the cave when Duo called out to him. "Wait!" he said, only loud enough for Heero to hear. Heero turned on his spot and stopped. "What did you give her?"

Heero looked at Duo evenly. "Does it matter?"

"What about what Quatre said about us?" Duo paused uncertainly, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer to what he was about to ask.

_'No. I have to know.'_

"Do you," he began, "Do you think-"

"It was a mistake." Heero said at once, before Duo could finish. "Duo," he started, a certain amount of reluctance in his voice, "just because we kissed doesn't make us soulmates. It didn't mean anything." Duo looked away, suddenly filled with...what? Embarrassment? Relief? Disappointment? Heero paid his reaction no attention as he continued about his explanation. "Quatre doesn't always know what he's talking about. Here's the cold hard fact: the only way to tell if two people are soulmates is to extract their souls and view their bond and Quatre doesn't know how to do that. He should've never said what he did. He had no right."

Duo looked into Heero's cobalt eyes once more. "How do you know he can't?" he asked vaguely, not really sure why he did.

Heero smiled faintly at him. "If he did, we wouldn't be here right now," he stated grimly.

Duo's stomach did a sudden nervous jump. He tried to give a little smile, but instead succeeded in looking like he had a toothache.

"Now you really should get some sleep." Heero said quietly, before adding, "and forget about what Quatre said."

"I don't think I can." Duo said in a weary voice. Heero rose an eyebrow and surveyed him quietly. Duo realized what it sounded like he was saying and solemnly added, "Go to sleep, I mean. You know, with the vampires roaming about and all..." He trailed off, looking tiredly past Heero at the woods.

"Don't worry. I'll be keeping watch. It's not like I'm not use to being awake at night surrounded by vampires anyway," he said meekly as he stepped into the wide open.

As he once again disappeared from view, Duo quickly walked over and grabbed his damp clothes and pulled them on. He didn't know what he had expected Heero to say to him, but he couldn't deny that his words had hurt.

_'t didn't mean anything._

Maybe Heero wasn't saying that them kissing was the mistake. He just said that _it_ was a mistake. He could have just been talking about what Quatre said. Right? The thought made Duo feel somewhat better as he laid down and rolled over on his side, his eyelids drooping as he watched Heero pass by the entranceway like a slide show, going from right to left, only to disappear from view and show up on the right minutes later.

The tiring events of the day seemed to hit him all at once and before he knew it, Duo had fallen asleep.

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_Naked, Duo entered the dark candlelit room and slowly walked towards the sheer curtains in the middle of the chamber, savoring the sweet anticipation that hung thick in the air. Tonight he would claim what was rightfully his. He reached out and carefully slipped his hand through the crack of the fabric and slowly pulled it back. Waiting on him, there, in the middle, wrapped loosely in a thin sheet, was Heero. He sat up, loosely clutching the sheet to his chest as he looked upon Duo with a impatient gleam in his deep blue eyes. Duo felt his body burn with wild, uncontrollable desire as he leaned forward and predatorally crawled across the mattress, his long unbound hair falling loosely around his sides. _

_Heero slowly laid back against the bed as Duo seductively straddled his thin body between his legs, intertwining their hands together and pinning them above Heero's head. Duo brushed his lips against Heero's, as the boy's well toned body tightened beneath him. Duo smiled down at the vision beneath him. Heero's messy chocolate hair was sticking out in all the right places, his deep blue eyes laden with desire - for him. _

_Duo pressed his body into Heero's, crushing his lips against his in a fiery kiss. Heero parted his lips and Duo eagerly slid his tongue in, savoring the taste of him. He wanted to touch him, to feel his soft, smooth skin slide between his fingers. The thin fabric between them strained as the two moved roughly against one another. _

_Heero broke away from Duo and began kissing his neck, nipping here and there with his teeth, as Duo closed his eyes, letting the feeling of Heero's lips on his skin block out all other thought. Duo leaned his nose into Heero's hair and inhaled the intoxicating scent, smiling victoriously. How long had he waited for this? _

_An eternity..._

_He wanted to savor this moment, to remember what it was like, forever. Duo ran his fingers through Heero's wild hair, pulling him into another heated kiss. Duo let out a lustful moan and ripped away the sheet that seperated them. Heero pulled away and looked up at Duo with fire in his eyes. Duo bent down over him, capturing his mouth once again, wordlessly telling him all the things he wanted to do, all the things he was about to do. Duo heard Heero moan and felt his hardness brush against his stomach as he broke their kiss and whispered in his ear, "I claim what is rightfully mine."_

_Heero smiled against his neck, his breathing hard, his voice thick with lust as he whispered in Duo's ear, "I am yours to be claimed."_

_Duo lips curved into a slow, ravenous smile as he scraped his teeth across Heero's neck, licking the creamy flesh beneath. He slowly traced his tongue around Heero's jaw and slid it into his parted mouth as his willing body rose beneath him, trembling under his power. "Why are you afraid?" he asked tauntingly._

_Heero shifted underneath him, but his handsome face betrayed no hint of such an emotion. "They will try and stop us."_

_Duo laughed a rich, drawn out laugh. "They have no power over us. This is destiny. What is meant to be will not be undone." Duo leaned bent closer over him, his voice barely above a whisper. "I want you to do something for me..."_

_Heero looked mesmerizingly at him. "Anything," he breathed._

_Duo ran his hand down Heero's stomach, smiling wickedly at him. He grazed his fingers lightly over Heero's hot length, then grasped him firmly. Heero gasped and his body gave a pleasurable shudder. Duo pressed his body against him and whispered seductively in his ear, "Scream my name." _

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

"Duo! DUO! Wake up!"

"What, What! Leave me alone!" Duo grumbled irritably, rolling over and covering his face in a feeble attempt to go back to sleep. He had just gotten to the good part...

"Heero's gone!"

Immediately, Duo came to his senses and shot bolt upright on the ground. Quatre took a step back at the sudden jerk. "He's gone? Where is he?" Duo demanded.

"I don't know. When we woke up he was just _gone_. Listen, he wouldn't have left us here because he needs you to go with him. I'm afraid something's happened to him." Quatre said, his voice sounding hollow.

"Quatre, I think you're just overreacting. He probably just went to get us some more water." Trowa suggested lightly.

"No." Quatre stressed, keeping his jaw shut and looking bright eyed at Trowa, as if he was trying to get some other point across. "I already told you I _can't_ find him."

"Well, none of us are going to find him sitting around here talking about it." Duo stood up, pushing hard past Quatre and Trowa. "Where have you guys already looked? Maybe we should -" He stopped dead in his tracks.

"What are you doing?" Heero asked, standing in the middle of the campsite. The question sounded like more of a demand than polite conversation.

"Coming to look for you." Duo replied avidly. "Where have you been?"

"Getting us some more water." Heero scowled, looking over his shoulder. The sky was a burnt orange, the sun peeking through the far end of the dark woods. Heero's eyes fell resolutely back on Duo. "Dawn," he stated shortly, turning around. "It's time to go."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Hours passed without incident as the four young men made their way through the vast jungle, moving without hesitation to whatever fate lay beyond the under-traveled path. Heero led the way, seeing as he was the only one out of the four of them who actually knew where he was going. Duo followed close behind him, a fair amount of distance separating them from Quatre and Trowa, who had been whispering among themselves for the entire duration of the trip.

"Not long now." Heero announced unexpectedly as he quickly slowed down and looked around. "We should stop here and rest a moment."

Duo stopped behind him as Quatre protested from behind, "We're on a time limit here. How much further?"

"Not long." Heero said simply.

Quatre crossed his arms and sat down, looking very anxious as Trowa sat down beside him, giving him a equally uneasy look. Another guilty pain stabbed at Duo's stomach as he tried not to look at them.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Heero asked, keeping his voice low as he looked over at Quatre and Trowa. "_Alone_?"

Duo's stomach did a nervous twist at the added question. "Um, sure," he replied nervously.

Heero inclined his head and Duo followed him a little ways away from Trowa and Quatre. He walked around a large tree out of view. Duo swallowed the lump in his throat, unsure of what Heero was about to tell him. He walked behind the tree and found Heero leaning against it, his head cocked over his shoulder, looking like he wanted to kill something. When Duo came into view Heero turned to look at him, but his gaze did not soften. "Do you remember what I told you?"

"About what?" Duo asked, fidgeting absentmindedly in his pockets.

"About trusting me. Duo, I need to know that you trust me. No matter what I ask you, no matter what you see, you must do as I ask, and without hesitation. I need to hear you say it." Heero pushed himself off the trunk of the tree, looking at Duo with an unyielding determination in his deep blue eyes.

Duo glared at Heero uncertainly. "Can't you tell me what's about to happen?"

"I wish I could, but I can't," he said solemnly, as he looked at Duo with the hope that he would try and understand. "The witch -" he broke off, looking around, "she's not one to be easily fooled. She always knows when she's being lied to. If I tell you anything, she'll see."

Duo looked perplexed as he ran a hand through his bangs, holding them off his face. "She'll see what? _Heero_," he pressed," you've got to tell me what's going on."

Heero closed his eyes and softly shook his head. "I can't." he said earnestly, as he took a step closer to Duo. "You're just going to have to trust me."

"Trust you?" the hunter snorted. "I barely even _know_ you. You've poisoned me," Duo said, counting off the offenses on his fingers, "drug me off in the middle of nowhere, kiss me, won't tell me what's the hell is going on, and now you stand there and actually expect me to believe you aren't just going to hand me over to her and walk away."

"Why would I-"

"I'm not stupid you know," Duo cut across him angrily. "I know exactly what you are doing..." Duo stepped around and tilted his head, looking down at Heero's boots. His violet eyes traveled slowly up Heero's body in a curious way. Duo smirked and looked away, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "At first I couldn't figure it out - _why_ she would help you. But on the way here it came to me," he said, smiling faintly, "she's not helping you. _You're_ the one helping her. You didn't make a deal with her. She's the one who made the deal with you - to help her find Death and reclaim him for her. There is one thing I don't understand though," he paused and surveyed Heero's cold expression, "Why does she need your help?"

"You think I would do that to you?" Heero asked, keeping his voice low so that Quatre and Trowa wouldn't hear. "The fantastic story you've so cleverly pieced together is as far from the truth as it gets. If I really wanted her to have your soul, then you would no longer have it." Heero said, his voice suddenly sinister, as he turned on the hunter and back him against the tree. Heero pulled out a knife and pressed the sharp blade against Duo's exposed throat, pressing his body against him. Duo gasped as he traced the edge of the knife across his skin. "Don't you think it would have been much easier for me to have simply slit your throat while you slept at night and then taken it from you? I think we'll both agree I've had plenty of opportunities to do so." Duo swallowed the lump in his throat as Heero dug the blade closer against his skin. Then, just as quickly, Heero pushed himself off Duo and withdrew the blade, shoving it back in its sheath behind his back, his voice like stone. "If I haven't killed you by now, you should know I'm not going to."

Duo didn't know what to say, but everything Heero said was true. He could have easily killed him at any time and then trapped his soul in a bottle like the one Quatre had and took it to the witch that way, saving himself quite a bit of trouble, but for some reason, he hadn't.

"I would have listened to what you had to say without you having to pull a knife on me." Duo grumbled, rubbing the side of his neck Heero had just threatened.

"You needed to get the point."

Duo chuckled despite himself and said, "Oh, I got the _point _alright."

Heero didn't laugh. He took a tentative step closer to Duo and crossed his arms, looking very serious. "So, do I have your trust?" he asked, staring wistfully at him, as if hearing him say it was the most important thing in the world right now.

Duo quietly stared at him for a moment, their eyes locked in a quiet fix of uncertainty, as the insects and birds chirped brightly around them. "Yes," he breathed, "I trust you."

Heero gave the slightest of nods and said, "Thank you." He uncrossed his arms and leaned back, looking behind the tree appraisingly at Quatre and Trowa. "I think now we should get going."

"Heero?" Duo said bracingly, his mind rolling over the image of Heero pinning him against the tree just now. "What if Quatre's right?"

"Right about what?"

Duo throat suddenly felt very dry. He darted his tongue to moisten his dry lips. "You know," he whispered softly, "_us_..."

Heero only looked at him. Duo felt his ears starting to burn, trying to get his feelings out without looking away. "When I'm around you, I feel, I don't know..._different. _And before, when I kissed you, I was_ weird_."

Heero scowled and opened his mouth to speak. "Not _bad_ weird," Duo said quickly, sure he had just offended him, "It's kinda like the feeling you get when you can't remember something important you're suppose to do. You know it's there, somewhere in your head, but you can't find it. It was like...I _had_ to kiss you...like I couldn't stop myself..." Duo trailed off, feeling like he was sounding like a fool.

Heero looked down at Duo's mouth as he spoke. "Duo..." he sighed, "It's possible that-"

"Wait, where are they?!" Trowa's voice rang out loudly from behind the tree. "Quatre, did you see them leave?! I swear, if those two left us here, I'm gonna kill them."

Duo looked at Heero's face and knew he would never hear what he was about to say. He bowed his head in defeat as he waved a hand from behind the tree at them. "We're over here, you guys."

The two tag-alongs strode angrily over to Duo's outstretched hand. "What are you two doing?" the blonde demanded.

"Just talking." Duo said casually, catching Heero's eye.

"How about trying a little _walking_ instead. We've wasted enough time already. You two can _talk_ on the way there!" he said hotly.

"We're already here, Quatre" said Heero dully. "It's just there," he said, pointing to somewhere behind Duo.

The cold feeling of foreboding wrapped its icy hands around Duo's chest as he turned and laid eyes on the enormous tree, towering in the distance, leafless and black as death. Its dark spider-like branches twisted and knarled in painful contortions. The ground around it was withered and brown, shrouded in a black misty fog that hovered above its massive uncovered roots like a nasty visible odor. Duo squinted his eyes. They had to be playing tricks on him, because he could have sworn the tree just moved. Duo's stomach did a nervous jump, something in his head screaming out, '_Run away...'_

Then, Duo heard what sounded an awful lot like music from a jewelry box. Slow and sinister, the tiny melodic sound tinkled ominously in the hot air.

"What _is_ that?" Trowa said, looking confused.

"The Tree of the Dead." Heero said unenthusiastically.

"No, that music." Trowa said, looking around.

Quatre twisted his head around, looking at Trowa. "I hear it too, but where's it coming from?"

"From her," explained Heero, as if commenting to a passerby about the morning weather, "The witch knows we're here."

Duo did a staggered sway to the sleepy song. It filled his head, beckoning him closer. He took a sluggish step forward, his mind and body fighting for control. Heero reached out and grabbed his arm. "The song lures in those who make it all the way her, seeking her magics, but do not know the way - or," he said, turning to Duo, "are starting to change their mind." Then, he looked over at Trowa. "Like this one here."

Trowa looked at Heero incredously. "Of course I want to change my mind. You really think I _want_ to see her?"

"No," said Heero, walking towards the tree, "but it doesn't really matter what you want, does it? Duo, come on."

Duo gave his comrades a reluctant smile of reassurance, then wordlessly turned to follow Heero. Quatre grasped Trowa's shoulder firmly. "You don't have to do this, Trowa. If you let the poison take you, your soul can be reborn again, but once you see the witch, there's no telling what she could do to you. If you leave now, you can still save yourself."

Trowa looked at him bitterly, "I've already told you I won't do that. Quatre, I won't leave you."

"It's too late to save me, Trowa" Quatre said faintly, "Hell will claim my soul soon. It isn't strong enough to go on much longer. Whether she takes me now or later, there's no escaping my fate."

"Don't say that!" Trowa hissed, "I'll fight for you. I won't let her take you."

"Yes, you will."

"No - I - won't!" Trowa said firmly.

Quatre's eyes welled up in tears, his lips twisted and trembled. "Why are you doing this, Trowa?"

Trowa ran his hand through Quatre's pale hair, "Because," he said softly, "You don't deserve this. You deserve to be happy. And loved, by someone who cares for you...like the way I care for you." The hunter leaned closer towards the clan leader as several hundred feet in front of them, Duo and Heero reached the tree.

Duo carefully looked upon the tree in disgust, a faint decaying metallic smell engulfing the cold air around it, a familiar smell - the smell of blood - and death. The large black truck excreted a gooey dark substance that slid down its charred length, staining the ground. "Is that blood? Is it -?" Duo paused, snarling in disgust, "bleeding?"

Heero looked at him meekly, "Yes." He pulled out his knife, held out his hand and deliberately nicked his index finger.

"What are you doing?" Duo demanded in a harsh whisper.

"Blood is the key that unlocks the door," Heero extended his other hand towards the hunter, "Give me your hand, Duo," he said quietly.

Duo held out his palm. Heero grasped it and pricked his finger with the tip of the blade. "What about Quatre and Trowa? Where are they?"

"Right here," Quatre said behind him. Duo turned around. Quatre's face was covered in patches of red and he looked like he was going to fall over dead at any moment. "Are you okay?" Duo asked him.

"As well as can be expected," he said tiredly, looking at Trowa out of the corner of his eye, "Pass me the knife, Heero."

The other two took turns pricking their fingers, each huddling uncertainly around the tree, waiting for something to happen. "Give it your blood, but don't touch it." Heero cupped his bleeding finger in his other hand and squeezed it with his thumb, letting the red liquid pool. Then he took his finger like a whip and sprayed the tree's trunk with a small splat of red. The tree let out a low deep growl and the ground beneath it trembled. Duo struggled to keep his balance. "Hurry!" said Heero, "Or you can not enter."

The other three pinched their cut fingers and sprayed the tree much like Heero did, then all of them took a step back as the tree's long dead branches arched forward and began clawing at its truck. Tiny bits of bark flew everywhere as the branches stabbed through the truck savagely and ripped it open in a sickening crack. Horrified by what he was seeing, Duo gaped as the thick branches tore away at the trunk, covering the ground in blood and wood. Moments later, they slowly moved upward, revealing an empty chasm in the trunk . The tree let out a low groan, still twisting some of its smaller branches.

Duo's heart pounded wildly in his chest. This was it. No more talking about it. They were here. _'No turning back now.'_

Heero stepped forward and put his foot over the threshold, then turned to Duo, "This way."

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I thought this would be the chapter where they finally got to the witch, but it didn't really happen that way. I could have kept going, but decided I better split it up. There's one more long chapter, then you can probably expect slower chapter so that I can get updates out faster. I promise they'll get to the witch in the next chapter and when they do, Duo quickly realizes that everything is not as it seems. (How's that for dramatic?)

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	9. Verus Vultus

**_Author's Note:_** So, do you think you've got it figured out? Find out now. What deal did Heero Yuy make with the Serpent Witch? And who's soul is Quatre so willing to exchange for his and Trowa's freedom? Duo thought his life couldn't get any more complicated. He was wrong. This is the chapter I've thought about for over a year and I'm so excited. Please, if you enjoy my story then at least review this chapter. By now you either love it or hate it (hopefully the first one, because if you hated it and are still reading it then, wow).

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Verus Vultus_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

The dark room glowed a rustic orange under the light of the many ancient torches that lined its shining black walls. Expensive and lush, it was a room for royalty. Several pieces of furniture decorated the dark marble floor: a few small chairs cushioned in dark, purple velvet, a couple of round tables carved out of the richest of cherry wood and one overly large bed, draped in red sheer curtains that filtered the view of its smooth, dark linens. Around a corner there were many large wooden cupboards with detailed images carved into their doors and sides, several cauldrons big enough for a person to fit in and a couple of small, cushionless stools. In the darkness, several snakes coiled themselves loosely around the bed's tall posts as a lone woman stood next to a wall in front of a large ornate mirror, elegantly framed in silver and gold. The looking glass did not mirror her reflection, but instead a forest where four boys crowded around a large black tree.

She eyed one of them in particular. "Heero Yuy," her honey sweet voice came without reverence as her blood red lips curved into a slow, sinister smile, "What hast thou brought me now?"

,.•´)•(•.¸

"She lives in a tree?" Duo said, trying to look around Heero and into the tree's inside.

"Not in the tree," said Heero, "under it. Follow me."

Heero slid his entire body into the tree sideways. Before Duo could take a step to follow him, the thick wood had stretched and closed around him. Duo stared transfixed as the bark shifted and groaned and with a load crack, cleaved back open. Heero was gone. Duo's heart pounded hard in his chest. '_Where did he go? What just happened?'_ Staring in disbelief at the spot Heero had just entered and vanished in, the hunter took a step backward and brushed Quatre's shoulder. "It _ate_ him." he whispered.

"Doubtful," Quatre said firmly, "He's been here before, Duo. He knows what he's doing."

"But," said Duo hesitantly, staring blankly at the large empty crack. "Shouldn't he have told us it was going to do that?"

Quatre snorted. "Don't you know by now that Heero Yuy doesn't explain much of anything to anyone?" The blonde strode purposefully forward, past Duo and entered into the tree without looking back at him or Trowa. Once again, it closed in behind it's occupant, stretched and loudly groaned, then re-cracked to reveal an empty chasm once more. Trowa and Duo stood together in silence, staring at the tree, as if waiting for it to reach out with its branches and drag them in so they wouldn't have to go willingly.

Trowa eyed the black branches through his one visible eye as they indeed began twisting around impatiently. He reluctantly walked forward and slid himself into the empty space. Again, the tree seemingly ate another one of his friends, leaving Duo to stare at it all alone. Duo slowly started towards the blood stained tree, apprehensively stopping just short of its cold, damp opening.

_'This is it. It's now or never.' _

Duo put his foot into the crevice and reached out for the darkness. The metallic stench was strong and thick. It overpowered Duo's senses as he stepped fully into the trunk and waited for it to close in around him. The blood covered wood creaked and cracked, filling his ears with discords, as the light outside died around him. Duo gasped as something coiled around his foot, squeezing him tightly and with a strong tug, drug him down into a tight tunnel in the earth below. He seemed to fall forever before he was thrown hard to the ground and his foot was released, leaving him face first in the moist soil, cold and shaken, somewhere far beneath the surface.

Duo groaned and looked up. He was in some kind of underground hallway. Several silver-handled torches illuminated the tight passage in a low light, flickering against the large twisted roots that weaved in and out of the dirt above. The walls were close on either side and the ceiling hung low. Here, the air was damp and faint black smoke clung around the ground like a morning fog. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming," Heero's humorless voice echoed from behind. Duo turned to see him, arms crossed, waiting alongside Trowa and Quatre. "She's this way."

Shaking slightly after having the wind knocked out of him, Duo got to his knees as someone locked their arm around his, pulling him up. Quatre looked at him sadly, then wordlessly let him go. Heero put a hand on his shoulder, holding him back as Quatre and Trowa walked past. "Just remember what I told you," he whispered firmly and strode forward down the torch-lite corridor, the black mist along the ground billowing around him in his wake. Duo took a deep breath to steady himself, brushed the dirt off his front and fell in line behind his three comrades.

The path twisted and turned, meandering further underground, then suddenly opened up into a wide open space with a large vaulted ceiling. Dangling in the center was an exquisitely designed candle-lit chandelier that engulfed the ancient underground chamber in a pale orange glow. Duo's eyes drifted down to where Heero was standing. The Order's members watched as he ran his hands along an enormous marble wall. It was black, covered elegantly with hieroglyphics along its glossy surface, accompanied by many images of torture and death, darkly illuminated with a golden hue from the shifting light above.

Heero ran his hand across the smooth, carved surface of the wall. He seemed to be looking for something. His finger stopped on a spot of insignificance. Keeping one hand on the wall, he reached under his cloak and pulled out a knife from his back pocket. He pricked his finger with the tip and pressed his bleeding digit into a small indention. The wall's markings began to glow a vivid red and with a low rumble, the marble slide apart in the center. It cracked with a hiss of cold damp air and revealed another dark chamber, again, lit by torches and candlelight.

Following Heero, the three young men stepped slowly inside, each of them scanning the room ahead. There was another low rumble and the two walls slide back together behind them as a rich voice echoed in the darkness, "Heero Yuy," it said seductively, "hast it really been so long?"

Her voice made the hairs on the back of Duo's neck stand on end as his violet eyes swept the room. A mixture of excitement and terror swept his mind as he tried to picture what the witch would look like. A large snake-like woman covered with scales and long fangs? Or maybe some voodoo hag with dead snakes hanging off her instead of clothes? Surely something frightening and ugly. Whatever he imagined, it wasn't what met them inside. A slender, beautiful woman slid out of the darkness and into the light. Her black hair was smooth and shiny, falling around her in a cascade of loose ebony curls. A tight, dark red dress adoned her lithe form, clinging to her body's large breasts, soft curves and pale, flawless skin, flowing elegantly inches above the ground. With vividly blue eyes, long lashes, and perfectly shaped, rose red lips, she was quite possibly the most beautiful woman Duo had ever seen.

_'Evil doesn't look so bad.' _

Her bright blue eyes fell upon Heero, who got down on one knee and bowed before her. She smiled pleasantly, revealing her perfect white teeth as she turned and looked at Duo. His face flushed under her watchful eyes as he briefly wondered if he should bow too. "So, this is who thou hast brought me." she said silkily.

The hunter stood like a deer in the headlights as her smile faded and she walked towards him, her movements fluid and fast, as if she were gliding on air. She stopped inches in front of Duo, examining his young face carefully. He couldn't find the will to move as she reached out and touched his cheek. Her gaze held him in place as he involuntarily shuddered under the unexpectedly warm touch of her hand. She brushed a few hairs out of his face and looked curiously into his violet eyes. She leaned forward, and for a moment Duo thought she was going to kiss him, but then she passed his face and took a whiff of his hair. With a small flinch she withdrew her hand and took a step back, considering him for a brief moment, then slowly smiled. "Clever." she whispered, barely loud enough to be heard.

"What's clever?" he asked.

Behind the witch's shoulder, Duo could see Heero eyeing him closely. She paid the scribe no attention as she smiled and shifted her gaze towards Quatre and Trowa. A gleam of triumph sparkled in her vivid eyes as she glided towards the small blonde. "Quatre Rebarba Winner," she said with a certain satisfaction, "tis a pleasure to finally meet thee," she said in her sultry voice, her blood red lips curving into an amused smile, "I've been waiting for thee...and thy soul."

Trowa balled his fist up at his side, as an unexpected anger welded up inside of him. "It's yours." Quatre said, lifting his head.

Trowa's face went suddenly slack as he shot around at Quatre. "Quatre, what are you -"

"I already told you, Trowa. I can't be saved," he said in a small voice, looking behind his shoulder at the hunter, "I never should have brought you here."

The witch let out a rich velvety laugh. "Oh, what hast we here?" She looked at Trowa as if she found something about him to be fascinating. "Thou hast wasted thine love on this one, child. His soul belongst to me," she smiled and looked back at Quatre, "But Hell hath no great hurry to claim him." She turned to Heero with a snap. "Winner shall die," she said with a dark note of finality, "He means nothing. The day shall soon dawn when he begs me to take him. But the other," she said, eyeing Trowa, "is quite pretty. I shall keep him." With a soft smile, she shifted her bright blue eyes to Quatre once more. "I imagine," she said, looking at him flatly, "I shall see thee soon enough."

His anger boiling to the surface, Trowa clenched his fists tightly and without warning, swung at the witch. Before the blow could connect he was thrown violently backwards, colliding into a wall far behind them. The witch let out a broken and amused laugh. "Thou looketh upon a demon, boy. No mortal can harm me. Only a harbinger of God weildth that power and thou art not one of them."

With a wave of her pale hand, a glass vile flew from across the room and into the witch's outstretched hand. Its shiny blue substance glittered and illuminated her beautiful face as she held it forward and released its cork. She extended her long arm and curved her fingers inward, gesturing the young hunter towards her. Trowa struggled to his feet and woodenly walked forward against his will. "I taketh thee into my service. Drinketh this and be spared of death." Fighting the witch's spell, Trowa lips slowly parted against his will in a quivering shake. The witch smiled and began tipping the contents into the hunter's mouth as Quatre looked on fearfully.

"No. _Please_, spare my friend." Quatre said desperately.

She looked at him with mild interest as she emptied the rest of the vial into Trowa's mouth . "Spareth thine friend?" Her blood red lips curved into a slow smile, "I think not."

"I'm offering you a trade. His freedom for something you _really _want." Quatre said dramatically. He put his hand in his robe pocket and tightened his fingers around the small bottle within. "Something, you have been waiting to claim for the past twenty years."

The witch tilted her head to the other side. "A soul can only be traded for another. And I do not want yours, at least not yet."

"Not mine," Quatre said and pulled out the small corked bottle, holding it up for the witch to gaze upon. The haze stirred within its glass confines and started to glow. "Milliardo Peacecraft's."

"My queen," said Heero, moving beside the witch.

Duo tore his gaze from the glowing bottle, furled his eyebrows and looked at Heero. _'What did he just call her?'_

"I truly believe our search ends now. You may have been waiting twenty years for Milliardo Peacecraft, but you have been for over four millenniums for this. Let Winner wait." The Serpent Witch tore her cold blue eyes from the bottle and looked upon the kneeling form of Heero Yuy. "Thou dares to give me orders?"

"No, my queen. It's just, we've waited for so long..." Heero said with a slight fear in his voice, "Please forgive me. Do as you will. It was not my place."

Duo watched the two, unable to comprehend what was happening, as the witch slide her slender hand under Heero's chin and rose him from the ground. He seemed to tremble under her touch as he unbowed his head and looked into her eyes. She looked as if she was going to strike him, then said, "Thou shall prepare the potion for me...one last time."

The witch circled Heero possessively with her hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes as she moved closer to him, slipping behind him and running her fingers through his hair. She looked over his shoulder at Duo and smiled sweetly. "He likes you." she whispered seductively in Heero's ear.

Heero opened his eyes and looked at Duo. "He was easily deceived, my queen. A few promises and exchanges of affection was all it took."

"Traitor," Trowa said loudly, but calmly, still struggling to try and move, "You've been lying to us from the beginning."

"Yes," said Heero, leaning towards the witch as she continued to stroke his scalp, "And you were foolish enough to believe me."

Quatre clenched the fabric of his shirt tightly over his heart. "Heero..."

"You bastard! I trusted you!" shouted Duo angrily at him, shaking his head, "Everything you told me...everything you said..." Duo hated himself for being too blinded by the way Heero made him feel to realize what was really going on. He should had seen Heero for what he really was: just another person who believed he was someone that he wasn't. Angry and bitter, he lunged for Heero, ready to cause as much damage to him as possible, but he didn't get far. The witch held up her hand and Duo's body froze, rigid. He was unable to move, his feet affixed firmly to the ground, bound by her magic. Heero looked into his pained violet eyes and whispered quietly, "Is she there, my queen?"

"We shall know soon enough, my child. Ready it."

Heero turned, sunk into another low bow and strode back into the darkness. The witch slowly turned her head towards the two bound boys and Quatre. She glided past Duo and addressed Quatre and Trowa conversationally as if she were extending them a great honor, "You two may watch this. Come with me." She lead Quatre and Trowa over to her bed like puppets, their legs bending and lifting against their will. She pointed each of them to stand in front either post at the foot of her large bed. "Hold them, my darlings." At the command several large snakes slithered from under the bed and wrapped themselves around Quatre and Trowa's bodies, squeezing them tightly to the tall wooden posts.

She walked over to Trowa and cupped his cheek as he fruitlessly tried to turn away from her. She leaned over him and brushed her lips against his ear, whispering, "After I get Peacecraft's soul, Winner's blood shall spill from thine own hands. Thou shall watch the life leave his eyes. And then, thou shall be mine. By Lucifer's grace be done." She leaned back away from him, her blue eyes glittering with malevolence as she gave him a sickeningly sweet smile.

"You _bitch_." Trowa spat with all the hatred he could muster. Several snakes hissed threateningly as they coiled themselves tighter around his limbs. Trowa could barely feel them, his body filled with white hot anger. "There will come a day when I find a way to kill you. You will regret the day you let me live."

Duo watched as Heero appeared from behind the witch, strode forward quickly and punched Trowa hard in the face, effectively knocking him unconscious. His spiky haired head hung limply at his side, as Heero bowed at the witch's feet. "I'm sorry, my queen. He was threatening you. I couldn't have it."

Duo, who had been watching the scene unfold in silence, began twitching and jerking, trying to free himself from the witch's spell, but all he succeeded in doing was moving his head around like a crazy person. The Serpent Witch gazed upon him with her cold blue eyes and smiled. "Finish the potion, my child."

Heero wordlessly obeyed, swept himself off the floor and disappeared into the darkness once more. The Serpent Witch watched Duo's struggle with mild interest as a thin black snake slithered its way up her leg. She crossed the large room over to him, slowly flipping her glossy black hair over her shoulder as the snake draped itself affectionately around her neck. Duo stopped moving his head and watched her approach.

"Don't fucking touch me!" he spat.

"I shall do as I please with ye," she said seductively, running her finger across his cheek. She trailed her hand down his chest. At her touch the fabric withered away, falling to the ground in a decaying lump. Duo snarled and closed his eyes as she ran her hand across his well toned chest. He felt her press her chest against his as she whispered in his ear, "Yes. Let thou hate build up inside of thee. Thou did not end up here by the hand of Heero Yuy. Thou hast cometh here because fate meant it to be so. But tell me, child. What dost thou feel for him now? A part of thou now wishes to kill him, yes?" Her low rich laugh echoed in his ear. "It's all here, in your head. He hast betrayed thee, yet, a distant, insatiable feeling lingers..." She trailed her hand down and placed it over his heart. "here."

Duo opened his eyes to see Heero standing just over the witch's shoulder in front of him, his face unreadable. The witch voice's slid into his head. _'Dost thou still want to feel his lips on thine own? The warmth of his breath on thine flesh? All I need is thine soul...'_

Duo looked into Heero's intense blue eyes, his voice full of hatred as he said, "He means nothing to me. I rather _die_."

"And you shall, but not today." she said softly and pulled out another bottle of the same potion she gave Trowa. Duo saw it and rolled his lips inward, squeezing them shut.

"Oh, come now," the witch said sweetly, "Don't be like that."

She draped her arm around his shoulder and teased the bottle along the line of his lips. "Heero?" she called.

"Yes, my queen?"

"Thou hath not had thine potion yet." She leaned forward and offered him the bottle instead.

"Thank you, your majesty." He extended his hand for the potion, but the witch took it back and brought it to her own lips, tilting her head back and drinking half of it. She curved her finger inward, signaling for Heero to come closer. He slowly walked forward. Standing taller than the witch, he leaned over her and carefully captured her lips as he parted his to receive the antidote.

Duo closed his eyes in disgust. Heero broke their kiss and slowly took a step back. "Thank you, my queen."

"Here," she said, extending him the half empty bottle, "Giveth the rest to him."

"As you wish," he said quietly, taking the bottle from her. Duo opened his eyes to see Heero standing a few feet in front of him, the now empty bottle in his hand. Duo tried to move, but couldn't. Like a dream, Heero stepped forward and leaned over him. He reached out and tilted Duo's head to the side and slowly closed the distance between them. When Heero pressed his lips against his own, Duo found a familiar feeling fill up inside him and against everything he felt, kissed him back. He willingly parted his lips, allowing the potion to flow from Heero's mouth to his own as Heero softly slid his tongue in his mouth.

Heero pulled away from Duo and handed the empty bottle to the witch. "Everything is ready, my queen." he said calmly, as if he did not care either way about the fact that Duo had just willingly kissed him.

The witch slid off the side of Duo and turned to Heero. She crossed her hand over her shoulder and curled her fingers, gesturing Duo towards her. "Now we shall see." she said sweetly.

Duo fought fruitlessly under the witch's strong magic as he followed the two across the room and around a bend. A large cauldron laid in the middle of the room. Its contents blazed a vivid purple, bathing the surrounding walls in a bright violet glow. Duo used the light to look around. Large cabinets lined the walls with their doors all ajar, exposing their insides. Each contained many bottles of various shapes and sizes, colors and contents. Some had liquids in them, while others had more sinister confides: organs and limbs of various animals (and if Duo wasn't mistaken, some of them were human).

Duo looked away from the sight of Heero rummaging through the cabinets. He couldn't believe what he had just done. Why did he let Heero kiss him? _Why?_ He was looking around the room for an answer, when his eyes caught the outline of something just barely within reach of the light. There were two of them, nearly identical to one another. They were like small archways, tall and doorless. With no clear purpose or function, they stood beside one another, apart from the wall.

As he stared at them, Heero moved in front of them, looked at Duo and then behind himself at the doorless archways in the back. He turned slowly and looked back at Duo, then he looked down and walked towards the cauldron, waiting on the witch. The witch slid from cabinet to cabinet picking out various bottles and placing them on a small table near the cauldron. She crossed over to the other side of the room and reached into another cabinet, pulling out a large book. Its was bound in what looked disgustingly enough like human skin, grossly stitched together in a wavy, almost careless manner.

The Serpent Witch placed the book on the table next to the bottles. With a wave of her pale hand, the book flew opened wildly for a moment, then stopped somewhere in the middle. She smiled as she picked up a small bottle and uncorked it, tipping its green contents into the overly large bowl. Duo watched with fearful fascination as the potion hissed and bubbled. Softly, the witch began chanting a spell in an unknowable language, spitting out words Duo had never heard before, throwing in bottle after bottle. Each time, the potion flashed and changed appearance in an increasingly sinister manner. The potion was a steaming black when she held up a final small bottle filled with gleaming bright-white liquid and shouted, "_Fateor_!"

The witch violently threw the vial in the dark potion. Like liquid fire, it turned a bright red. Two vapory gnarled hands emerged out of the steamy mixture and stretched themselves towards the ceiling.

Duo fought to get away as they slowly advanced on his paralyzed body. Inches away, they stopped in front of his chest and hovered indecisively for a moment, then, plunged into him. Every limb in his body went cold as ice as Duo body began to convulse under the mystical intrusion. He felt like his insides were being twisted around in knots. He could feel all his strength leaving him. He would have fell down, but the witch's magic painfully held his failing body in place.

Duo closed his eyes, unable to hold them open any longer. Then, just like that, the pain was gone. Duo let his head hang there for a second, daring to open his eyes to the brightness in front of him. After several moments of silence, he sluggishly pulled his head up and grudgingly opened his eyes. A shapeless white haze hovered between him and the witch. Duo looked down to see that a small thread of it was attached to his chest, floating out of him like a clouded kite.

Through the patch of haze Duo could see the witch slowly smiling. She moved from behind the cauldron and slowly reached out for the attached soul. "_Verus Vultus_."

Slowly, the haze shifted and twisted, then, began taking shape.

,.•´)•(•.¸

Quatre watched hopelessly as the tragic events unfolded before him. How could Heero do this to them? He had been so convinced of his objectives. Always, Quatre could always tell when someone wasn't being truthful with him. Their true emotions about things always came to him even if the person was trying desperately to cover it up - even from themselves. How could Heero have hid everything from him so easily?

A bright flash of red drew Quatre out of his thoughts; the spell had been cast. Two pointy fingered hands rose out of the cauldron and crept towards Duo. Quatre struggled to free himself to try and stop it, but the snakes only wrapped themselves tighter around him. Quatre's eyes grew wide as the hands invaded Duo's body. The braided boy convulsed as the hands slowly extracted the soul within him.

The witch moved closer to the boy's newly extracted soul, as the white haze transformed into a mirror image of Duo. She spoke in a way so Quatre could not hear her, then the soul made a jagged sort of twist. Quatre could barely see its legs and arms because Duo, himself, was blocking the view of it, but from the chest up he could see it perfectly.

"Dear God..."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Duo's violet eyes tried to focus on the image before him, a ghostly mirror image of himself, naked and complete with a large braid, looking back at him with sad, violet eyes. "Come out, come out, my child," the witch sung. Duo's soul flinched for a second, then started rotating. Behind it, along his backside, another Duo stepped out from the first. Along their backs, the two were seemingly melted together, like siamese twins. The only notable differences Duo could see between the two was that the new one had darker, tumbling hair that hung over its chest unbraided and instead of just standing there, this Duo's hands were covering itself modestly below the waist. Instead of looking at Duo, like the other one did, this one's eyes were closed and its head was cocked to the side, like it was sleeping.

The witch circled around the two images of him as they rotated, looking only at the one that was asleep. "All this time, she hath hid herself in a male," the witch said, turning to Duo. "Here, in this boy."

Heero turned and looked at Duo. The hunter looked away from them and at the twirling images of himself. He couldn't understand what she was talking about until the one with darker hair turned back around towards him. There, peeking from under all that dark hair, was a set of breasts. Duo's jaw dropped, staring at something that definitely shouldn't be there. His mind started racing. There, before him, was the proof he had came here for, the proof he had waited his entire life for, the proof he couldn't deny. There he, no, _she_ was. Death was a woman

The witch glided towards Duo and brushed his cheek. "Here, Death hath waited," she said softly. Behind her, Duo could see two large black wings stretch out of Death's back and encase themselves around her body. The witch smiled prettily at Duo and looked over her shoulder. "It's only too bad she hath waited in vain." She released his cheek and glided over to Heero, throwing a casual glance over at the two mingled souls..

Duo swallowed the lump in his throat and called out to the witch, "I thought Death was a man. Heero spoke of Death like he was a man."

The witch turned and let out a girlish laugh, "Silly boy. Would you have came here if you thought Death was a woman? He only said that to fool you. A woman giveth life. Is it not only fair that one taketh it away?" She looked at Heero and smiled as he sunk into another deep bow before her. "You've done well, Heero."

"I've given you what is rightfully yours, my queen. I have held up my end of the bargain."

"Rise, my child and I shall make thee...a demon." With a nasty smile, she walked back towards the cauldron and its still brewing potion. While Heero walked over towards Duo, removing his cloak and shirt as he went.

Duo weakly looked away from the sight of his bare chest and stared hatefully at the Serpent Witch as she looked through one of her cabinets. Why would Heero want to become a demon? Why would _anybody_ want that? His thoughts were interrupted as Heero crossed over behind him and shoved something small into his hand, forcing his fingers tightly around it, then stood on his right, looking ahead as if nothing had happened. "For Quatre," he whispered stiffly, looking ahead as the witch pulled a single small bottle out of the cabinet and walked over to the cauldron, turning the book on the table over one page. "When I tell you," he whispered quietly, not moving his lips, "Get your friends. Take the archway on the left. It will take you straight into the Divide. From there, Quatre will know where to go."

Duo furled his eyebrows and looked incredulously at Heero. "What?" he whispered.

"The one on the left, Duo. And don't wait for me."

The witch's rich voice drew Duo back around as she began her spellwork one more time. As before, two hands rose from the potion's bright red surface and this time advanced on Heero. As before with Duo, they entered Heero's body and it shook violently while he struggled to stay standing. Unlike Duo, Heero didn't have any magic keeping his body upright, and soon hit the floor as the long fingers withdrew the white haze from his trembling body. Heero's soul lingered shapelessly for a few moments, then on the witch's command, began twisting into its proper form.

Duo held his breath as its face became more clear. The witch moved from behind the cauldron for a better look. Her bright blue eyes widened as the naked image before her flinched, then split in two. Two Heeros, seemingly melted together, just like Duo and Death. One looked exactly like him, the other had shorter hair and more noticeably, a pair of large white wings. His soul slowly turned its head and looked at Duo's soul, while the other's eyes were closed, like Death's.

The witch looked wildly at Heero in disbelief as he quickly got to his feet, reached into his back pocket, withdrew a small knife and threw it at her. She screamed as the metal cut through the magic around her and stabbed into the pale skin of her shoulder. "You!" she screamed, looking at the blade's gleaming handle, sticking out of her skin. She reached over, pulled it out and threw it into the wall. Her eyes grew wide with a mad sort of look as she screamed at Heero, "God's filth in mine own house and I did not see it! Thou shalt die!"

A loud screech issued from her crimson lips as her dress ripped apart. Her body twisted and writhed, transforming into a huge black snake with great, yellow eyes and long, white fangs. Heero thrust his hand over Duo's chest and shouted, _"Refero!" _Duo's and Death's souls rejoined one another and passed back into Duo's body as the witch struck out at Heero with her tail and knocked him into the side of the wall. Heero slid down the wall and hit the floor in an ungraceful lump. His soul followed him, still connected to his chest along the thin thread. Duo watched as the normal-looking part of it did a jerk and closed its eyes as Heero had hit the wall. As Heero had slid down the wall, its head slumped over to the side. Then, behind it, the other stretched out it's wings and turned around, opening its eyes as Heero touched his own chest and put the same spell on himself that he put on Duo. The images of him melted together and slid back into his body. Heero stood bolt upright and looked from the witch to Duo. He reached over his shoulder and pulled the knife he used to stab the witch out of the wall and threw it at Duo's feet, cracking clear through the marble. "Duo!" he screamed, "What are you waiting for?! Run!"

Gripping the small bottle of potion in his hand, Duo looked down and realized it was no longer magic holding him in place, but rather the sheer uncomprehension of what had just happened. Everything seemed so surreal. With a dazed look in his eyes, he reached down and pryed the knife out of the marble, then took off running for Quatre and Trowa. The witch turned her scaly head in the direction of Duo's running footsteps, as Heero took the opportunity to attack her. Duo didn't turn around as Heero's pained voice cut through the air. The snakes binding Quatre's and Trowa's bodies to the witch's bed defensively coiled themselves tighter around their victims. They hissed and spat at Duo as he ran towards them. The hunter swung at the closest one and cut off its head. Hacking and slashing, Duo skillfully avoided their bites as he beheaded one after the other, killing them as swifty as he could. He savagely pryed the dead remains of the snakes off Quatre's neck and arms, staining his white robes with long, red streaks.

"Here! Take this! Come on!" shouted Duo, cramming the vial into Quatre's hand, "We've got to get out of here!"

"I've got these," Quatre said quickly, pushing Duo's hands away, "Help Trowa."

Duo left the ones around Quatre's legs for him as he turned and began prying the others off the, still unconscious, Trowa Barton.

Quatre threw Trowa's arm over his shoulder as Duo pulled the last of the snakes off his legs.

Quatre pocketed the potion and looked up to see the witch coiling herself around Heero. Tightly, she began to squeeze him. He looked to his right at the way they came in. The wall was sealed, with no visible means of opening it. "It doesn't matter, Duo. We're trapped." the blonde whispered.

Duo threw Trowa's other arm around his neck and looked over at the fight. Heero had gotten free and was now throwing all kinds of bottles out of the cabinet at the witch, covering the view of them in different colors of smoke. "Heero said we have to go through the archway."

"Archway? What archway?" Quatre said, looking around.

"They're over there, two of them," Duo explained quickly, nodding towards Heero and the witch, "We need to take the one on the left. Heero said it would take us into the Divide. You can't see them because they're blocking 'em. Hold him tight, when I tell you, we're gonna have to make a run for it."

"I don't know about this, Duo. Traveling with one passenger through the Divide is one thing, but hauling two people, one being unconscious, is another. I don't know if I can do it."

"You have to. Come on, we'll go around to the right. I don't think she'll see us through all the smoke."

As fast as they could, Quatre and Duo took off towards the dark multi-colored smoke, Trowa bobbing between them. Duo felt his way along the wall and cabinets, the thickness of the smoke blocking them from the view of the witch. As they got closer, one false step told them the potion had been knocked over and its contents now flooded the floor.

Out of the clouded darkness Heero shouted, "_Patefacio Porta_!"

The witch hissed out, "NO!" as through the colored smoke, both of the archways began to glow.

"Quatre, run!" The two sprinted towards the leftmost archway, splashing through the potion, dragging Trowa between them. Without stopping, they ran straight through it as the witch's jaws snapped down behind them. Instantly, they were met with the darkness and hollowing souls just as before. Duo closed his eyes and clutched Trowa's arm tightly. For all he knew, he had just left Heero to die.

Inside, Duo felt so lost. Nothing made sense anymore. He had so many questions, questions he knew he would never have the answers to. He left them all to die with Heero as soon as he went through that arch. What had he done?

_'Heero.'_

Duo opened his eyes as Quatre let out a pained groan and staggered forward, holding his chest.

"Quatre?" Duo whispered, "What's wrong?"

Quatre shook his head slowly back and forth. "I...I can't take you back, Duo." he said weakly, "I..c..I can't-"

Warm air slapped him in the face as the weightless feeling of being in the Divide disappeared and the hunter hit the ground. Everything was bright and all around him were voices.

"Out of the way! Let me through! Master Quatre, are you okay?" It was Rashid. They were back in Cairo.

"He's covered in blood!"

"I can see that! Quatre, look at me. Look, he has no cuts; this is not his blood."

"Then what's wrong with him?"

"I don't know. Someone get a mage, quick! Quatre!"

"He's been poisoned." Duo whispered hoarsely, finally finding his voice.

"Poisoned?"

"It's okay. The antidote is in his pocket."

"Mr. Maxwell, what happened?" Rasid asked, searching Quatre's pockets, "Has this one been poisoned as well?"

Duo pulled himself in a sitting position and took a deep breath, running his hand through his bangs. "No. He's just had a bad day."

Suddenly, there was a loud ripping noise and a puff of black smoke as a body fell through the air and landed on a table behind the gathered crowd, a body with messy brown hair and black pants.

_'Heero.'_

Duo quickly got to his feet and sprinted forward. He pushed through the crowd of onlookers and rushed over to Heero's side. His body was bloody and bruised, covered in nasty burns and cuts. Duo carefully rolled him over and proped his head up. "Heero?" he whispered quietly, "Are you okay?"

Heero's eyes fluttered open as he looked at Duo and smiled. "Finally ," he said softly, "I've found you..."

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Well, I do have to say I'm not all that happy with this chapter, but I posted it anyway. For thinking about it for well over a year, it didn't quite turn out the way I thought it would. I kept having to go back and reread things in previous chapters, because I couldn't remember which storylines I set up. Sad, huh? I didn't realize this story was so long until I had to reread so much. Anyway, from here on, things are going to get much better between Heero and Duo. You'll see...Thanks for still being here, after well over a year.

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	10. Reunion

**_Author's Note:_** Before I started writing this chapter, I took the time to go through all my previous chapters and fix their grammatical and punctual problems (but I probably still missed some stuff). I also tried a new summary, I hope it's better than the other one. Thank you so much for all the reviews (the most of any chapter thus far!). You have no idea what they mean to me. If you have any suggestions for our heroes, please include them in your review, I know where my story is going, but some things I'm unsure of how I want to end. Some of you have ask where is Wufei...He does have a role in the story, but it's not for several more chapters at least.

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Reunion_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, Heero pushed back his overwhelming exhaustion to raise his hand. He knew it would take the last of his strength to cast the spell, but it had to be done. She would have known when they enter the Divide what it was he had and if that happened...

"Heero, are you okay?" Duo said, holding him up.

Focusing all his energy, the scribe channeled what little strength he had left and faintly said, "_Caecus ut Totus." _As he felt consciousness leaving him, Heero was hit with a familiar sensation and knew he had been too late.

A brilliant flash of white light engulfed the room. Blinded, Duo squeezed his eyes shut to the chorus of complaint from the room's occupants. It only lasted a few seconds, then it was gone. Trying to refocus his eyes, Duo looked down at the limp body of Heero Yuy, randomly covered in deep gashes and bruises. Whatever he just did didn't kill him, but it didn't exactly help him either. He was still badly injured and now, unconscious. Onlooking Hunters began crowding around Duo as he stood up. Cradling Heero in his arms, the Hunter parted the crowd and walked over to quickly see if Quatre had been given the antidote, then he would get Heero some medical attention.

The uncorked and empty potion bottle was being crushed in Rashid's hand, as he shook Quatre, trying to wake him up. Rashid turned and looked at Duo. "Mr. Maxwell," he said, "do you mind explaining what's happened to these men: why they are either unconscious, poisoned or beaten half to death and you don't have a scratch on you?"

Duo gave Rashid a nasty scowl. "Those two are going to be fine," he said, gesturing towards Quatre and Trowa. Holding him carefully in his arms, Duo looked down at Heero. "I need to get him to the medical ward. Where is it?"

"You're not going anywhere," Rashid said in a commanding tone, "not until you tell me the purpose of the spell you just cast."

"I didn't _cast_ anything," Duo snapped, shifting Heero's weight, "He did."

Rashid eyed Duo carefully, then looked at Heero. "He is unconscious."

"Yeah, well, he wasn't a second ago when he used that spell." Duo shot off irritably. "If you're not going to tell me where the medical ward is, I'll find it myself!"

"You can't leave!" Rashid told him.

Duo smiled and spun on his heel towards the door. "Watch me!"

"Leaving this room could kill you both!"

Duo stopped just short of the threshold, slumped his shoulders and turned around. "You don't know that."

"You're right, we don't know if it will, but we also don't know if it won't. That boy could have done any number of things to this room and the people in it. Who knows what he did!"

Just then, a polite female voice in the crowd spoke up. "I know." she said. The crowd parted the way to the unconscious boys, as Relena Peacecraft looked upon the beaten body in Duo's arms. "_Caecus ut Totus_..." she said softly, turning to look at Rashid. "He has cast a protection spell on this place. It is old magic, not many know it. It was one my brother used to use for us." Her face looked sad, but her voice was still. She had an air of dignity about her, someone who was respectable and kind. Her pale blue eyes sparkled with conviction as she turned and looked at Heero. "It's extremely powerful, using it is what knocked him out. In his condition, I'm actually surprised he could do it at all. He must be very powerful."

Duo looked down at Heero and forced a small smile. "Why did he cast it if he knew it would knock him out? Why not cast something to help himself first?"

Staring at Heero, Relena finally looked up in a daze. "What?" she said.

"I said, why did he cast it? What does it do?"

"Oh," she said with a blush, "It ahhh...It conceals the soul. It affects any entire building when done correctly. Quite handy when someone's trying to find you..." her voice trailed off, "or your entire family." She paused for a moment and looked sadly over at Rashid. "As long as you stay inside, you are essentially invisible...but, this place is very large and he wasn't in the best condition when he cast it, so I don't think it will last long, a day, maybe two."

"You are very knowledgeable, Miss Peacecraft." Rashid said kindly, "Especially for someone who doesn't do magic."

"My brother used to teach me, even though I could never quite do it." She reminisced fondly, giving a small, almost forced, smile. "He always said that even though I couldn't actually do it, just knowing the proper way to would come in handy one day...I guess he was right. He was right about a lot of things..." She trailed off as the whispering around her grew louder. Several Hunters were giving her pointed glares. Relena looked around and shifted uncomfortably.

"There's your answer, Rashid," Duo spat, breaking the uneasy silence, "Now where's the medical ward?"

"It's okay," said Relena quietly, placing her hand on Duo's shoulder, "I'll show you where it is."

Duo nodded and gave her a small smile, "Thank you."

She extended her hand towards the door, "This way, Mr. Maxwell."

Duo followed Relena out the door and down the hall. He was admiring how straight she'd managed to make her long hair (he'd never been able to get his anywhere close to the straightness of hers) when she cocked her head over her shoulder and asked, "Who is he?"

Duo smiled sadly down at the scribe's badly beaten body, "His name is Heero."

"Heero," she repeated softly. "What happened to him?"

Duo lightly shook his head. "We were escaping. He stayed behind to fight her. I never should have left him alone like that."

"Who was he fighting?" Relena asked, looking over her shoulder, "His marks are strange."

Duo paused uncertainly. He wasn't sure how much of this he should be telling her...if anything at all. But Relena was an archaeologist, not a fighter. What would be the harm in telling her? And maybe, if Duo was lucky, she could even shed some light on a couple of things for him. "They call her the Serpent Witch."

Relena stopped in her tracks and abruptly turned around, her blonde hair spinning around her. "What did you say?"

Duo surveyed her wild expression and wondered why she looked so unnerved. Her wide, crystal blue eyes were fixed on Heero's abused body as she raised her hand shakily and covered her mouth. Duo calmly repeated her name, against his better judgment, "The Serpent Witch."

"_Are you sure_?" she asked in a hushed tone, like they were discussing some forbidden topic. Her blue eyes traveled up from Heero to Duo. "That's who's after you?" She looked stunned, as her eyes quickly darted back to Heero. "And you say he _fought_ her? Did he actually _injure _her?"

Duo really didn't feel like rude to her, but his patience was past such formalities, "I don't know. I was too busy rescuing two other people. Look, Miss Peacecraft, me and you can play twenty questions later. First, I need to help him. Just show me to the medical ward. We don't have time for this right now."

She looked hurt, but her face was filled with awe as she turned back around. "It's umm...It's down here." she replied faintly.

,.•´)•(•.¸

Milliardo Peacecraft propped his elbows up on the desk and clawed his fingers into his long, silvery blonde bangs. He glared down at the well worn text that was mocking him on the tabletop. He'd long since ran out of ideas and was now skimming over some of his older books that hadn't seen the light in over a decade. Irritated, he slammed the book shut. A poof of dust and mold took flight from between it's leathery pages, testament of its old age. Leaning back in the chair, he stared into the fireplace as a familiar presence brushed his mind. His lips curved into a thin smile as a small, faint knock came at the door.

"It's opened," he called.

A bright strip of fluorescent light spilled into the room, followed by two soft footsteps. Without turning, Milliardo gathered his book in his arm as he rose from his chair and addressed his visitor. "Lucrezia Noin," he said, walking over to his bookcase and placing the tattered book on the dust-lined shelf, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" The ex-hunter crossed his arms and turned around as the visitor shut the door behind herself.

"It's been a long time," she replied conversationally, "You look good, Milliardo."

"You can save the small talk. You know you never give me any good news anymore, Noin. So, why don't you just go ahead and tell me what you are doing here."

"Is that any way to speak to an old friend?" she said lightly.

"Why do you do that?" he asked.

"Why do I do what?" she asked politely.

"Why do you speak to me as though you don't hate me?" Milliardo crossed the room and paused in front of her. His eyes drifted down to the faint puncture scars on the side of her slender throat. He would never forgive himself for what he had done to her. But it had been the only way, right? _'No,'_ he thought bitterly, _'There's always another way...' _

She tilted her head up and looked into his eyes, searching for a lingering sense of hope. A hope that one day he could finally be the man she once knew, the man she once loved. "I have served your family for years," she said quietly, brushing her dark purple hair out of her eyes, "They were good people. I loved them and I can't just abandoned hope on everything they believed in. I know you want me to, that it would be easier for you, but ...I could never hate you..." she trailed off, bowing her head as she surveyed the vampire's cold expression.

"I'll ask you again, Noin," he said flatly, "Why are you here?"

She tilted her head and slowly looked back up. "I'm here because I believe in something, something I've always believed in: you...and your soul.

Milliardo's arms fell at his sides as he looked away from her. "I don't have a soul."

"Yes you do" she said softly, "I found it for you."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Duo kicked open the door and walked into the dimly lit room. Relena peered through the doorway and ran her hand along the wall. She found the piece of protruding plastic and casually flicked it up. Dull lights flickered to life along the panels in the ceiling as Duo carefully laid Heero down on the small bed. Relena stepped further in the room as Duo began rummaging through various drawers, scrounging for supplies. "Are you going to try to heal him?" she asked, "They say you know magic."

Duo gave a small laugh. "Is that what they say? Well, my magic doesn't exactly work that way. Okay, babe?" he replied humorously while fishing for a bottle of peroxide. Duo, baring an armful of supplies, walked over to the bed and unloaded them on the small table next to it. With careful precision, he unscrewed the bottle of peroxide and began dressing Heero's wounds, wondering if he had actually killed the witch. Surely she wouldn't have just let him leave. Looking at the large assortment of deep gashes and bruises, Duo knew these wounds should have been fatal, but evidently not to Heero. He was different...just like Duo. A beautiful memory came to the front of the hunter's mind, a memory of the face that laid on the bed before him and another, with large wings and vividly blue eyes...

_'Could he have known? Our souls are...the same. What does that mean?'_

"It really doesn't matter," Relena explained, looking over Heero's injuries, "I don't think he _can_ be healed. If someone is very strongly connected to magic, it will protect them against other external magical forces, even if they are unconscious."

Duo dipped the washcloth in the small bowl of water and lightly dabbed Heero's forehead. "For one who doesn't know how to do magic, you sure know a lot about it." Duo said offhandedly, "More than I do anyway."

"I have to," she said softly, "If we are ever going to find a way to free these people. The answer, whatever it is, lies within magic." She exhaled deeply and slumped down in the chair next to the bed. "Don't you ever grow tired of this?" she asked, "Living every day with fading hope? When is it ever going to be enough?...All the fighting and killing...Are we ever going to be at peace?"

Duo gave her a tired smile. "I ask myself that question everyday, babe. Believe me, no one wants it to be over more than I do," Duo said, smiling down on Heero, "well, except maybe him." He cut the excess bandage from around Heero's arm and secured it with a clasp. "Can you do me a favor?" he asked, "Do you mind helping me hold him up? I need to get this really bad one on his back here."

Duo lifted Heero into a sitting position. Relena got up from the chair next to the bed and took a seat on the edge next to his legs. She reached out and held him in place by his shoulders. His head hung forward in a painful looking bend, so she leaned it against her shoulder in an awkward looking kind of embrace while Duo dabbed some peroxide on a cotton ball and carefully began cleaning the large gash on his back. His face flinched for a moment against her collarbone, but he did not wake. Relena looked over his back to watch Duo's progress when something on his skin between the spaces of her fingers caught her eye. She slid her hand down his collarbone and tilted her head to see what it was. It was a strange mark, parred beside a nasty deep cut. It held some kind of familiarity to it, something she had seen before...somewhere. Her eyes widened slightly as she spoke, "My God...Duo, have you seen this?"

"Yeah, but that one isn't as bad as the one on his back here," said Duo, not looking up, "I'll get that one next though."

"No," she said, her voice in awe, "This." She pointed to the mark to the side of the cut and looked wide eyed at the hunter.

The hunter looked up and gave a small smirk, "Oh, that..." he said, remembering what happened after the first time he saw it, "Yeah...no, she didn't do that to him. He had that before."

Relena blinked and furled her eyebrows. "He showed you this?"

Duo smiled heartily and threw a peroxide and blood soaked cotton ball on the floor, missing the nearby trashcan. "Yeah, you could say that."

She blushed slightly at the suggestiveness of his words. "Do you know where he got it?" she inquired further.

Duo leaned over the wound he was dressing and cut off a section of bandages from the roll. "Sorry," he said meekly, "We never got to discuss our tastes in body art. Too busy running and fighting for our lives and all."

She let her eyes drift back down on the boy's strange brand. "I don't think this is body art. We don't know why, but pureblooded vampires have markers on their necks, egyptian hieroglyphics, genetically grafted in their skin, sorta like birthmarks. As their bodies grow, the mark is naturally stretched, giving it a small, but noticeable wear pattern." She pointed to the area around the mark. "A wear pattern like this one." Her blue eyes darted back and forth across the symbol. She looked precariously up at Duo. "I think he was born with this. I've seen this mark before, I know it! I just can't remember -" She leaned over for a better look, then suddenly withdrew her hand from his shoulder and covered her mouth, "Impossible..." she breathed.

Duo surveyed her with concern. "What is it?"

"Look at this!" she exclaimed softly, tracing her finger along the outline of the mark, down each of the three sides. "These lines - aren't really lines...they're angelic scripts."

Duo stared at her with a dumbfounded look on his face. "What's angelic script?"

She stopped staring at the mark and slowly looked up at him. "It's said to be the first language ever created, the language God used to create the universe - the holy language of Heaven."

Duo leaned in close beside her. She was right, instead of solid lines, the outline was done in small, erratic squiggles very close to each other. "What does it say?" he asked, squinting for a better look, "It looks like something a kindergartener did."

She lightly shook her head. "I don't know. The only real record of angelic script being translated is found in the oldest known Bible in existence. Even then, it only names some of Heaven's angels, the angelic symbols for their names, then their translations in Hebrew. Nothing more is known about it, or how those translations got there in the first place."

Duo pulled away as a image of Death with large black wings drifted into his conscious. "If all you have is a couple of names of angels, then how do you know _this_ is angelic script?" he asked.

"I didn't say there weren't any other symbols out there. There are plenty, but no one knows what they mean, or how to say them. In Egypt, most of the vampire history is recorded in angelic script. That's why we have such a hard time translating. We know what it looks like, but not what it means." She continued to stare blankly at the mark on Heero's back, her voice with a strange distance to it. "The number of angelic symbols is estimated to be in the thousands. If we could speak it, it would sound like what most would describe as 'music'. There are many documented occasions in the Bible where the angels are singing to people. But most experts believe they are actually just _speaking_ this language. To you it may look like random scribble, but make no mistake, this is the language of creation."

"Why do those marks in the center look different from the others?" he asked.

"Because," she said softly, "they _are_ different from the others. These are _not_ angelic script. I don't know what they are. I've never seen anything like it. They...are...very...strange..." She no longer seemed to be paying attention to herself as her eyes danced across the tiny dots and lines in the center. At the bottom, her eyes widened at the last few marks as she remembered where she had seen it before. "It's not possible," she whispered.

Duo leaned over closer to her, "What was that?"

"Now I remember," she looked up at him with excited blue eyes. She looked like a child at Christmas. "This mark, it was engraved in one of the artifacts we found buried in the desert! Look!" she said brightly and pointed at the bottom corner of the triangle. "These symbols here aren't the same as the rest. This part is egyptian."

"What does it say?" Duo asked her.

"It's a name, or, well, at least we thought it was..." She ran her finger across the ancient symbols, and slowly went through the phonic pronunciation, "Shi - ni - ga -"

Heero did a violent shudder and his eyes shot open. He shot his arms out and grabbed Relena by the arms, jerking her back in a swift motion. He gripped her tightly as he looked into her shocked blue eyes. "Do _not_," he commanded in a low hiss, "say her name."

"Heero...it's okay! Let go of her!" Duo said, trying to pry him off Relena. "This is Relena. She's here to help!"

Heero released Relena and caused her to fall sideways off the bed and onto the floor. Heero grabbed Duo by the shirt, pulling him down. The panicked scribe looked quickly around the room, then back to Duo. "Where's Quatre?" he demanded.

"Jeez! Calm down! What's wrong with you?" Duo said quickly, trying to pry Heero's hand off his shirt.

Heero gave Duo a hard shake. "Where is he?!"

The hunter couldn't understand why he was so desperate to find out about Quatre. There had to be more pressing matters for him, Duo was sure. "He's fine. He's down the hall."

Heero jerkily released him and swung his legs over the bed. Duo put his hands up to stop him. "No! What are you doing? You can't get up! You've gotta lay back down. You're bleeding, like, everywhere!" he said.

Heero looked up at him with a snap. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes the hell it does! What is happening here! Is she dead? The witch, did you kill her?"

Heero looked resolutely at Duo. "No."

"Is that why you cast that spell? Is she coming for us?"

"She's not the one we need to worry about." With great effort, Heero pushed off himself off the bed and got to his feet. He reached out and grabbed Duo's arm. "Take me to Quatre," he said flatly, "Now."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Quatre groaned and his aqua tinted eyes fluttered open. A dull pain shot across his forehead as he covered his face with his hand and pushed himself away from the person holding him. "Urgh," he grumbled, "Where am I?"

Rashid's booming voice echoed loudly in his ears, "Master Quatre!" the clan leader exclaimed, "You're awake! I'm so glad. What happened to you? Last I heard, you went to see about a fight. The next thing I know, a bunch of my best hunters come and tell me you took off."

Quatre clasped his hand over his throat. He needed to take that potion now! He hastily reached into his pocket, but it wasn't there. Sensing the reason behind his sudden panic, Rashid held out a little bottle and rolled it between his thumb and finger. "Looking for this, Master Quatre? Mr. Maxwell said you were poisoned. I've already administered your antidote."

Quatre breathed a quiet sigh of relief as his worried eyes fell on the slumped over body of his friend. "Thank you, Rashid," he said quietly. With a quick twirl, he scanned the faces around him and jumped to his feet. "Where's Duo?" he demanded fearfully.

"Easy!" Rashid said, reaching out for him. "You've been through a lot!"

Quatre waved him to stay back. "I'm fine, Rashid. Now where's Duo?"

Rashid looked at the door. "He took that other boy to the medical ward."

Quatre look down at Trowa, then at Rashid and said, "What other boy?"

Rashid looked back at Quatre. "You know," he said kindly, "the one that's been helping you. He was really badly injured. He came out of the Divide right after all of you did."

Quatre's eyes grew wide, "Heero?"

"He won't be able to help you." a cold voice said from behind.

,.•´)•(•.¸

Heero staggered down the hallway, running his hand along the wall for support. "Heero!" called Duo from behind. "If I can't stop you, then let me help you!"

The hunter grabbed the scribe's dangling arm and swung it behind his neck, shifting some of the boy's weight onto himself. Heero glared at him, but said nothing. Duo sighed and gave him a small smirk. The scribe sure wasn't much for verbal gratification. "It's down this way." The two took several more awkward steps and reached the room they first arrived in.

Heero snapped his head up as Duo reached for the doorknob. He closed his eyes and twitched his head. "He's already here," he whispered sluggishly.

"Who's here?" asked Duo, unsure if he could take any more drama today.

"Milliardo."

"Peacecraft?" asked Duo, incredulously.

"Duo, how many Milliardos do you know?" said Heero sarcastically.

"What?" whispered a pale voice from behind. Duo looked over his shoulder to see Relena standing there with a confused look on her face. "My brother's here?"

,.•´)•(•.¸

The circle of hunters widened at the arrival of the famed ex-hunter. Many of them drew their weapons as they eyed him fearfully. The vampire only smiled as he took a step closer to Quatre. The clan leader snapped his head around as he stood in front of Rashid. "What are _you_ doing here?" he demanded.

Milliardo smiled and brushed his hair off his shoulder. "I've come for what's mine. Now where is it?"

Quatre's blue-green eyes darted around at the two dozen some odd hunters that filled the room. "Look around you. You're surrounded."

Milliardo let out a slow, deep laugh. "You think these people can help you?" He held his hand out behind him. There was a strong shock wave of power as the semi-circle of Hunters were pushed back ten feet by the magic. Some fell over, some tried to walk back to their previous spots, only to find there was some invisible wall holding them back. Milliardo tightened his lips into a thin line and lowered his cold eyes on Quatre. "Now give it to me," he sneered, "or I kill them."

Quatre's eyes slid sideways at the door. There was a moment's pause and it flew open and in walked Duo, supporting a limping Heero. Quatre's eyes grew wide in disbelief. "Heero..." he said, staring at him, "how did you -"

"Milliardo!" Heero yelled, "There is no need for this."

"Stay out of this, Heero. He's got my soul and I'm not leaving here without it. And I'll kill you or anybody else who gets in my way." he warned, his frosty blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"You'd kill me?" Heero said with the slightest hint of amusement in his tone, "I'd like to see you try..." Duo eyed Milliardo hatefully as he shifted Heero under his arm.

"You know, I use to believe in you, but now I see you for what you truly are..." Milliardo snarled and held his hand in front of Heero. "Nothing, but another obstacle in my way." Duo tightened his grip around Heero's arm, as the magic surrounding the vampire grew electric. In a desperate sprint, Relena jumped out from behind them, threw her hands out at her sides and stood in front of them. "No!" she screamed.

The vampire stood still as he lowered his hand, staring at her sudden appearance in disbelief. "Relena." he said, barely above a whisper.

"Brother, you can't kill them!" she shouted on the verge of tears.

"He doesn't have to." said Heero calmly. "Quatre is going to give him what he came here for." He looked at the clan leader resolutely and said, "Go on. Give it to him, Quatre."

Milliardo once again looked at Quatre. The small blonde reached hesitantly into his white robe and slowly pulled out the bottle, his hand shaking just slightly. Milliardo's icy blue eyes widened as the silvery-white soul within twisted and spun within its glassy confides. The clan leader wordlessly held it towards the vampire. Milliardo strode forward and carefully wrapped his cold fingers around the corked bottle, holding it against up against the overhead light for closer examination. The shapeless mist began to glow as Milliardo's eyes widened, revering in its forgotten splendor. For a moment, only a moment, he remembered what it was like to feel his heart beating in his chest again, the warmth of a summer day...what it felt like to be _alive_.

Quatre nervously glanced over at Heero, who gave him a tired, but approving nod. With a faded smile, the vampire took the bottle and placed it into a leather pouch along his belt. He turned from the pale boy in front of him and drew his gaze back over to his sister, the one who hadn't laid eyes on him in fourteen years. She gradually lowered her arms and looked at him sadly, her pink lips slowly spreading into a quivering smile. She tore off running for him. He stood completely still as she threw her arms around him and collapsed into his chest. He stood there stunned with his hands at his sides, staring in the distance, a long forgotten emotion paining in his lifeless heart as she sobbed into his shirt, soaking it in tears. The vampire's face softened a bit as he bowed his head close to hers. Then, slowly, for the first time in a long time, Milliardo hugged his sister.

"Relena," he whispered, "I..."

"I don't care what you've done," she choked, "I just want my brother back."

He tightened his grip around her small body and leaned his head against hers, taking in her sweet warmth. "It's not that simple, Lena..."

"Yes, it is!" she shot back in a strained, broken voice, tears clinging to her long lashes as she twisted her fingers in the fabric of his shirt. "I want to help you...let me help you."

Milliardo raised his hands up to her arms, gripping them loosely and gently pushed her away. She looked up at him with glistening eyes. Milliardo looked at her sadly, raising his hand and brushing a tear from her cheek. He closed his eyes and gently shook his head. Even as he said it, he didn't recognize his own voice. It flowed from his vocal chords unbiddenly, a solemn plead, begging for release. "You can't help me."

"How can you say that?" she sobed, "How can you just give up so easily? This isn't who you really are!"

Milliardo turned his back on her, his voice haunted by hatred, "You have no idea who I am...what I've _become_."

As he started to walk away, she reached out and grabbed his arm. He turned around and looked at her blankly. "Yes I do," she said boldly, "I know _exactly_ who you are. You're my brother...the same one who use to sing me to sleep at night. When it was all dark and I was scared to be alone, because I thought the monsters would get me, you'd sing. And no matter how scared I was, all I had to do was close my eyes and listen to your voice to know everything was going to be okay." He looked down and didn't say anything. She slid her hand down his arm and gently squeezed his hand as she leaned under him and looked up into his pale, dead eyes. "I forgive you. Isn't it time you forgave yourself?"

Milliardo pulled his hand back and turned away from her. He had no right to even look at her. "I can never forgive myself. Not for the things I've done..."

She brought up her hand and slapped him across the face, looking sadly at the broken man in front of her. "Does _anything_ matter to you anymore? What about me?" Hot tears streamed down her face as her body body shook with years of pint up emotion.

The vampire raised his hand and touched his stinging cheek, forcing himself to look into the tear-filled eyes of his baby sister. "I'm sorry, Relena..."

Her face was blotched with pink as she angrily wiped the tears from her eyes on her sleeve. "Oh, you're _sorry_!" she said savagely, her sweet voice barely recognizable under the strain of her anger. "You left me with _nothing_!" she cried, her voice breaking, "How could you do that to me! How could you love me and do that to me?!"

Milliardo reached out for his sister and pulled her into his arms. He pressed her sobbing head against his chest and whispered in her ear, "Nothing I say can change what I've done to you, what I'm still doing to you...It's not fair that someone like yourself, someone so good and pure, should have to go through this world alone. And I'm sorry, Relena. Sorry that I can't be who you want me to be..." Her crystal blue eyes widened as he raised her shirt up slightly in the back and carefully placed his cold hand on her bare skin. She gasped at the icy contact as she realized what he was about to do. He whispered softly into her hair, "Try not to scream."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Duo was staring apprehensively at the siblings in the center of the room. The feverish arm that hung around his neck was a constant reminder that Heero shouldn't be here. And as Duo looked on at the vampire that tried to turn him, he brooded in the fact that neither should he. "Heero, let's get out of here. Are you forgetting? He didn't just come here for that. He's after me too, remember?"

Heero said nothing as he watched the conversation unfolding between the two siblings. Sweat glistened his brow as the scribe did a staggered sway. Duo steady him by leaning him into his side, for fear that he might pass out again. Heero's voice came out in a raspy tone, "He was never after you. He is after me. He only used you to find me."

"What does he want with you?" Duo whispered.

"It's not what _he_ wants, it's what _Trieze_ wants." Heero replied dryly.

"And what does _Trieze_ want?"

Heero clinched his abdomen. He seemed to be sruggling with a great amount of pain as he grounded out, "He needs me to reunite him with his soul."

Duo shook his head. "What? Why the hell does he think you can do that?" Duo had never heard of such a thing. Then again, he'd seen things and knew of things that he had never thought existed a lot lately. It still didn't make any sense. Heero couldn't conjure the magic to _view_ souls. If he had, he would have done it on Duo instead of taking him to see the witch, right? So why would Trieze think he could _reunite _someone with their soul? Surely he knew Heero better than that. Or maybe Heero had been lying to him too...

Heero turned his attention away from the pain and back on Duo. He could feel the darkness creeping back into his mind as the edge of his vision blurred black. He took a deep, strained breath. "Listen, Duo," he said weakly, "Something is about to happen, and you have to let it happen. Do you understand?"

Duo could feel the youth's body growing heavier. Heero's blood loss was too great, and Duo could tell by the tone in his voice that he was going to fall unconscious again at any moment. "Hey! Talk to me! What's about to happen?"

"Don't fight him, Duo." Heero said as he slumped his head against Duo's shoulder. "Just let him take us. It'll be okay..." Heero closed his eyes as his knees gave way and his head limply rocked into Duo's chest. The hunter quickly grabbed his waist with his free hand and tightened his grip around the scribe's arm to keep him from falling. At that moment, an echoing slap filled the room. Duo looked from Heero, up at Milliardo, who was holding his cheek. Relena had just slapped him. She was sobbing and speaking so frantically that Duo couldn't really understand what she was saying. It was a bold move that would have gotten someone killed had it been anyone other than Relena Peacecraft. The hunter watched as the vampire reached out and took her into his arms. The vampire bent over her and buried his face in her hair. The action triggering a flood of painful memories in Duo's head.

The hungry look Milliardo gave Duo right before he closed the space between them, the smell of his hair, the feel of his lips against his neck and the sharp pain of his teeth as they pierced his neck...

Duo watched uneasily as he slid his hand under Relena's shirt, gracing the skin of her back. He whispered something to her as his cold, blue eyes locked with Duo's. The pair of them faded into the background without a sound as a faint outline of black smoke replaced their bodies.

Several hunters fell to the floor as the barrier of magic that pushed them back disappeared with its caster. Duo stared at the dissipating whiff of smoke in a stupid state of shock before reason kicked in and slapped him across the face. Duo turned around, shifting all of Heero's weight against his own and swiftly made for the door. The hunter ignored Quatre's call to come back as he drug to the doorway, stopping only momentarily to bend over and swoop his body into his arms. He took one step into the hall and ran smack into something in the way. He snapped his head up to see Milliardo standing there, his lips pressed into a fine line. "He's coming with me." he replied evenly.

Duo lowered his amethyst eyes, protectively cradling Heero's bruised body closer to him, and took a wary step backwards. "Touch him and I'll kill you." he hissed.

The smallest of smiles slid onto the corners of the vampire's lips as he took a strong step forward. "Since you're already touching him," his velvety voice explained, "I really won't have to."

Duo's reply died in his throat as Milliardo lashed out and grabbed him by the neck with a death-like grip. The unsettlingly familiar cold of the Divide wrapped itself around Duo and the limp body he held in his arms. He locked eyes with the dangerous man in front of him. "Don't try anything stupid, boy," Milliardo whispered as the faces of the dead gathered around them, "or I'll take him and drop you instead."

Duo's voice strained against the undead warrior's hand. "Where..." he choked, "Where are you taking us?"

"Oh," the vampire said smoothly, "Not far.."

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Wow, I can't believe how Milliardo turned out. I'm trying to keep my story close to the character's personalities, but I think I pushed it a bit on that one. This update was several days late and I'm sorry...I know many of you must be saying "Jeez, when are Duo and Heero going to have a moment's peace to finally get to _know_ one another?" Well that moment's coming, soon. This story is by no means a short one, so I only hope that you all bear with me in the intricacy of its plot. All in all, I'm fairly pleased with this chapter, and I hope you are too...

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	11. Fractured Souls

**_Author's Note:_** Once again, my personal life has intervened with my writing. In the interest of quality, sorry this took so long to post. I've kept everyone waiting for well over a year, so here it is: what's really going on between Heero and Duo. That, and a lot of other stuff. I really loved writing this chapter and I think it's one of my best so far, so please enjoy.

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Fractured Souls_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Cold, misty darkness...

Duo curled his fingers tightly around the limp body in his arms. He tried to relax, letting the chilled air filter through his lungs as he tried to ignore the presence of the equally cold hand held fast against his throat. Milliardo was not choking him, but rather effectively proving his point. There was nowhere he could go. If he pulled away from him, it would result in Heero and himself falling out of the Divide...and God knows where they would end up if that happened. He didn't have any choice but to allow the vampire to continue to hold him by the neck. When the faces of the souls began shifting out of the mist, Duo tiredly closed his eyes, taking comfort in the darkness.

_Here again so soon?_

Duo snapped his eyes back open, his heart stopping mid-beat. That voice...that sweet, kind voice. How long had it been since he heard it last?

_Years..._

But it was _impossible_. There was no way he could actually be hearing it. She _couldn't_ be here. Duo slid his eyes to the side and he nearly lost his breath. His stomach did a sickening twist. There, among the hollow faces of the lost souls, he spotted her: Sister Helen, and with her, drifting quite close in a way that almost made them look tangled, was none other than Father Maxwell.

Seconds. Minutes. Hours.

Time seemed to lose all meaning as the hunter stared blankly at their transparent faces. He couldn't think. He couldn't move. All thought was lost somewhere between the fading darkness of mist and memory. Yet, there they were, exactly the way he remembered them. An icy chill ran down his spine as he struggled to try and rationalize what he was seeing. It was crazy. It didn't make any sense. How could they be here?

Wouldn't the Cycle of Souls have returned them both back to Earth by now? Even though Heero didn't say how long the process took, Duo knew that, surely, it would not take five years for it to happen. Duo eyes slowly went out of focus, his body poisoned with emotions he didn't know how to describe. This was _wrong_. He parted his lips and whispered softly against the frigid, blackened mist, "You don't belong here."

Raising a pale eyebrow, Milliardo glared down at Duo, then shifted his eyes in the direction the young hunter was looking. Somehow, he couldn't stop himself from smiling, wondering briefly what Heero's grand plan was. Apparently, he and Trieze weren't the only ones Heero Yuy hadn't been honest with. "He didn't tell you, did he?" the undead remarked blankly. Duo didn't answer. He turned and faced the vampire slowly, shaking his head, violet eyes filled with the shock of disbelief. His breath caught in his tightened throat and he looked back. They were gone.

Duo blinked, feeling his feet hit solid ground once more as a unfamiliar room swam into view. He swayed sideways and coughed as his throat was released. Inhaling large gulps of stale air, he felt his stomach churn. The atmosphere around him was dank and dirty, filled with the distinct smell of old magic.

"You saw someone you knew, didn't you?" the vampire asked conversationally, regarding Duo expression with mild interest, "You don't have to say anything. I've seen that look a thousand times. The Order of Phytoran has its reasons for hiding the truth from you, of course...but, now, I can't help but wonder, why would Heero? Maybe he doesn't trust you either."

Duo shifted Heero in his arms, struggling to keep himself standing. He knew exactly what Milliardo was doing. He was taunting him, dangling what he needed to know in front of his face while he was blindfolded. Normally, he would try to match wits with someone toying with him, but after everything he had been through in the past few days, Duo just didn't care. He was tired. He wanted nothing more than to collapse on a bed and sleep for days. He shifted his eyes on the vampire. Against the damp air, his couldn't stop his voice from sounding strangely distant. "I don't suppose you're not going to tell me either, are you?"

A worthless attempt, no doubt.

Milliardo's lips spread into a knowing smile, his ice blue eyes glaring at Duo impassively. "Why not ask him?" Milliardo said smoothly before adding slyly, "When and _if_ he wakes up..."

_'When and if? Oh, he's loving this. Fucking vampires...'_

"He'll be fine." Duo said firmly, holding his chin up.

"I'm sure he will," the vampire mused, taking a step forward, "but, just in case..."

Duo twisted his body to the side, stepping away from the vampire's advance. "You stay away from us."

Milliardo lips spread into a roguish smile. "Very well," he said, "We'll just do this the hard way." With a flick of his wrist, he braced his palm against the air in front of him and pushed against the air. Duo instantly felt Heero being ripped out of his arms. The hunter was thrown backwards against the wall, hitting his head hard and collapsing on the floor. His elbows buckled under his weight, as he struggled to his knees, glaring hatefully at his kidnapper. Suspended in midair in front of the ex-hunter, Heero's body hung like a puppet. Duo wobbled to his feet and shouted, "No! Stop it!"

The pale haired vampire ignored the hunter's plea and turned on Heero, placing his outstretched palm on the scribe's badly beaten body. He moved close to him and bowed his head. A wave of panic surged through Duo. What was he about to do to him? He could do nothing but watch. Within moments, a bright, pale-blue light engulfed the room, blinding the two men from view. Duo brought his hand up to shield his eyes. The energy from the magic pulsed through the room like a shockwave. The next second, it was gone.

Like a film in slow motion, Heero's body fell backwards to the ground, his eyes closed and his arms drifting out. Duo sprinted forward clumsily, barely catching him before he hit the ground. His violet eyes traveled over the scribe's bare chest, widening in surprise at the effect of Milliardo's magic. All of Heero's bruises, scrapes, cuts...everything, began to disappear as the caster took a wide step back. Duo ran his hand over the pale areas of new skin, examining them carefully, then looked up, confused. "_Why_ did you help him?"

Milliardo's face was masked with cold indifference as he took another step back from the two captives. "I owed him one..." he said shortly.

The ex-hunter slowly spun on his heel and approached one of the walls, placing his hand on one of the large, cinnamon-colored stones. Duo's eyes caught the hieroglyphic above the groove, unnecessarily confirming his current location. Duo didn't know what Trieze wanted from Heero, but he was going to make damn sure the vampire didn't get it. Duo thought he should do something to stop Milliardo from leaving, but couldn't find the will to do so. He was still processing the fact that Milliardo had just healed Heero.

Duo watched as the panel glowed a dim blue, then the entire multi-stone slab in front of the undead slid to the side in a rough hiss. The vampire put one foot over the dividing pathway and looked back over his shoulder at the two boys. "Don't worry. He should wake soon. The two of you will stay confined to Yuy's quarters until a such time as Trieze commands. Do note that as soon as I leave it will be magically shielded, and any fool-hearted escape attempt on either one of your parts is extremely...ill-advised. Make yourselves comfortable." He slid his pale hand off the panel and continued out of the room, the stone wall grinding shut behind him.

Duo gathered Heero in his arms and looked around the room, Heero's room. Why were they brought here and not the dungeon? Duo suddenly felt like an intruder, invading on something secretive and private. He quietly shifted his eyes and looked around. Golden flames, from the wall-mounted torches, illuminated the room's hieroglyphic stone walls in an eerie, low light.

_'Underground again_', Duo thought grimly.

He was beginning to think he was a mole. All he really needed now was a thin coat of fur. How many times did this make it in the past month? He had lost count. Though he never thought that he would have ended up back with the Pallinitine tribe. Although they were the wealthiest vampire tribe in the House of Erebus, the quality of their accomidations certainly didn't reflect it. The room reminded Duo of a tomb, not someone's bed room. A single, wire-framed bed, wrapped in plain white sheets and a dull, brown blanket, occupied the corner. Beside it, a simple, wooden dresser stood low on the ground with a matching mirror mounted flush against the wall. The only other piece of furniture in the whole room was a uncushioned stool found abandoned in the far corner.

The rest of the room was bare, save for a small, potted plant that laid bent over on the dresser's corner. It hadn't been watered in quite some time, it's pale white petals turning a nasty brown. And to the side, a thin, worn book lay flat amid a pale layer of gathering dust. Did Heero actually live here? The state of the room could almost be describe as abandoned. Obviously, it hadn't been used in very, very long time.

Duo shifted Heero's rapidly chilling body in his arms again as a tingling sensation brushed his mind.

_'Something here seems familiar. But...what?'  
_

Duo caught his sad reflection in the dusty mirror as he walked over to the bed and carefully slid Heero out of his arms. He gently laid the young man on top of the mattress, working the covers out from under him and pulling them up over his exposed chest to give his body a chance to get warm. He reached up and brushed his wild, dark hair from his dampened forehead. He ran his hand across his closed eyelids and down his cheek, brushing his thumb over his soft, pale lips.

A passing image of their bodies, tangled and covered in sweat, invaded his mind...Heero, naked, writhing in pleasure beneath him. Pushing the image away, he pulled his hands away and stood up straight, covering his hands over his crotch and looking away in embarrassment. It felt so wrong to be thinking such a thing about someone when they were lying there, unconscious, not to mention the fact that they were so very _male_. He sighed and drug his body over to the dresser, pulling open the first drawer he came to. He had to rummage through two more before he could find one containing any shirts. He pulled out a faded gray one that looked to be the most comfortable and walked back over to the bed, dragging the stool along with him and taking a seat on the bed's edge. Thin and smelling a little like moths, it would have to do.

The hunter pulled the covers back down and slung the shirt over his lap. He bent down over Heero, sliding his hands around the back of his neck. He pressed his face into his chest, bringing his body up into an undignified, slumped over sitting position. Duo cradled the scribe's messy head on his shoulder with one hand as he fumbled with t-shirt with the other.

_**'Thou hast no claim over him.'**_

Duo's heart skipped a beat. He protectively wrapped his arm around Heero and begun looking wildly about the room.

**_'His vessel, I hath marked.'_**

The voice echoed through the darkness. It had a raw, womanly quality to it that was impossible to ignore - seductive, smooth, and sinisterly sweet. It resonated with terror and intrigue, leaving Duo's entire body racking with fear.

_**'The time hath come. I shall be released...'**_

"Where are you? What do you want?!" he demanded into the dark room.

_**'What all God's creatures want...'**_

Duo's eyes rapidly scanned the various blotches in the wall, searching for the voice's origin. Remembering what Milliardo said, he slid across the bed, gripping Heero tightly and pressing the both of them as close to the bed's creaking headboard as he could. He could hear the voice so clearly, low and soft, laced with amusement, whispering in his ear...

_**'Did thou thinketh thou couldst hold me forever? **__**I am a slave to no one. I shall not be contained...not by God, not by thee.' **_

Duo eyes widened and went out of focus as he unconsciously looked across at Heero, a confusing realization crossing his mind. No one had entered the room. They couldn't have. It was someone that was already here, someone...with him. "Death?" he asked softly.

_**'Death? No... My name is not Death. It is Shinigami. Death is a foolish name you humans hath bestowed upon me. You and thine kind sicken me. Thou art wretched beings lingering this world, knowing not thine true purpose, blindly consumed with poisoning thine souls with pleasures of the flesh. Thou art wicked, worthless...'**_

Duo's eyes drifted aimlessly across the torch-lite walls, as Shinigami's low, caustic voice hissed sharp echoes of bitterness in his ears._**  
**_

_**'Thou art ungrateful abominations. And yet, it is thee he considers his greatest achievement, loved above all others, loved above us. Given to thee, his blessing to make thy own self whole, whilst my kind, his own servants, are forced to exist throughout eternity...incomplete.' **_

Duo heart tightened in his chest. He stared blindly out into the darkness. "What do you want?"

Her voice was low and soft._** 'I told thee. I only want what you want, Duo...to be complete. Thou feels it, an infectious intervention that increases every time thou lays thine eyes upon...him.'  
**_

Duo's body froze and his brow crinkled in confusion. _Who is she talking about?_

_**'Who am I talking about? Why, I speak of the one next to thee.'** _

Duo's eyes widened and his brain kicked into overdrive._ She knows what I am thinking. _

_**'Tis more than that, child. I know everything about thee, thy thoughts, thy feelings, thy deepest, darkest desires of thine heart. It's all here...in thine head.'**_

Duo pulled his knees up to his chest, pulled his arm off Heero's shoulder and clamped his hands over his ears, bending over.

_'No! Get out of my head!'_

"Stop it..." he shuddered.

A long, seductive laugh rang through the darkness in his mind like a haunted lullaby.

_**'Thine time hath ended. Thy flesh and thy blood are not thine own. This vessel belongth to me.'**_

Duo snapped his head up from his knees, watching in horror as a slow, numbing tingle spread through his right arm. The limb reached out and grasped Heero on his shoulder. Duo turned his head and looked fearfully at the unconscious man beside him as the feeling spread through his other arm. The tingling spread downward and Duo unwillingly pulled himself in front of Heero, reaching out and claiming the boy's other shoulder.

_'What are you making me do? Stop it!'_

_**'Give in, Duo. This is what is meant to be.'**_

_No!_ Duo thought forcibly, his arms shaking as he dug his fingers into Heero's skin. _You can't have him. I won't let you..._Duo closed his eyes, trying to shut out her voice with all his might. Sharp pains dug into his shoulder as he fought to regain control of his body, fire and ice burning in his veins. He tried to think, but everything just turned into a smoky haze. He reached out in his mind, reaching for his thoughts, but they were being torn away from him. He bowed his head.

"Stop it!"

Tears burning in his eyes, he shook his head violently and bit his lip. He had to take control. He needed to focus on something, anything - a single thought. The first thing that came to his mind was a memory of the church: Father Maxwell and Sister Helen, pushing him on a swing. He laughed loudly as he went higher and higher. Here, he was safe. There were no vampires, no magic, no prophecy. Only him, the swing, and the cloudless sky. He closed his eyes, letting the memory of his final day of innocence fill him up inside. Then slowly, after a moment of uncertainty, the tingling sensation began to lessen. He opened his eyes and dug his nails out of Heero's shoulder, then shakily withdrew his hands, wrapping them across his chest and hugging his arms.

_**'Thy will is strong...but it is not enough. If God himself could not stop me, what makes thou think thou can?'**_

Duo closed his eyes and growled out, in all the hate he could mentally muster._ I am not your puppet..._

_**'Yes...you are.'**_

Then there was silence, but for how long he didn't know. Everything seemed so far away, like it wasn't real. The next thing he knew was Heero's voice.

"Duo?"

Duo blinked and looked up, locking eyes with Heero, who was no longer slumped over, but sitting up under his own accord, looking at him with severe concern.

The hunter stared at him wide-eyed. "Heero..."

The scribe leaned forward scrutinizingly, his deep blue eyes darting over Duo. "What are you doing?"

Duo turned his head into his shoulder. "Gone." he whispered. Her voice was gone, but he could still feel her there. The feeling was uniquely disturbing, a cold presence buried in the depths of his mind, shrouded in shadowy darkness. Duo slowly uncurled his fingers from his arms and dropped his arms to his sides, looking up at Heero. "What did you say?" Heero asked.

Duo shook his head dismissively, "Nothing," he replied quietly, "Are you okay?"

"I should be the one asking you that." the scribe said lowly.

"I'm fine." Duo replied firmly, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself of that, than Heero. "I'm not the one who almost died."

Heero sighed and slowly leaned back against the metal headboard, ruffling a hand through his disheaved hair. "It'd take a lot more than that to kill me," he stated simply.

Duo was listening hard, but not to Heero. He was listening for her, but he couldn't hear a thing. Perhaps he was winning...or maybe she was letting him win. He couldn't tell, but knew he had to be on his guard. If he concentrated hard enough, he could keep her at bay. If he didn't let her in, everything would be okay. Duo pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. Now, he decided, was a good a time as any to try and get some answers. "I told Relena about what happened..."

Heero's eyes darted over to Duo in a disapproving way.

"I had to," he explained, "She was asking how you got your injuries."

"You could have lied." Heero said fairly.

Duo gave him a pointed glare. "Maybe you would have, but I try not to lie about anything. That being said, she seemed pretty shocked that you were able to fight the Serpent Witch."

"With good reason..." Heero said unenthusiastically.

"So...what happened?" he asked lightly.

"I sent her back to Hell," Heero explained in a dull voice, "The archway beside the one you used to escape is an earth-bound gateway straight into Hell, forged long ago by with its creation. I don't think we will have to worry about her for quite some time. She failed to reacquire Death and Lucifer is not so forgiving when it comes to failure." Heero looked down at his arm and suddenly held it up, his eyebrows furling as he ran a finger across the pale, new skin.

"You can thank Milliardo for that," Duo said on cue, "He healed you after he brought us here. He said he owed you one." Heero shifted and looked away, saying nothing. Duo took a nervous breath. Here went nothing. "He also said I should ask you about something."

Heero raised an eyebrow and turned his head back around, "What is it?" he said stoically.

Duo tore his gaze from the floor and looked into Heero's vividly blue eyes. "On the way here. I saw two people in the Divide that shouldn't be there. They were killed over five years ago and I know they weren't vampires," Duo paused and looked up, staring desperately into the boy's face, "So why would they still be there? And I know you want to, but don't lie to me," he added quickly, shaking his head pleadingly, "Please, just tell me the truth."

Heero gave a small sigh, his voice eerily soft, "Soulmates..." he whispered.

"Soulmates?" Duo echoed.

Heero shifted in his spot and pinched two fingers across his nose, trying to decide the best way of explaining this to Duo. No matter what, what he was about to tell him was not going to go over well, so it was best to just say it and get it over with. He brought his hand down and looked at Duo properly. "If you know they weren't vampires, then they must have been soulmates, and they would have had to been bonded. Remember what I said about Death being the one who gathered soulmates that were ready to enter Heaven?" he asked quietly.

A flicker of coldness slivered into his thoughts at the name 'Death', but Duo was quick to push it away. "Yes..."

"What I'm about to tell you is going to be very difficult for you to hear. Try not to over-react. Do you understand?"

Duo nodded, his face showing no where near the amount of nervousness he felt inside..

"Are you sure, Duo?" Heero asked quietly, giving the hunter one last chance to back out.

"Stop stalling!" Duo shouted irritably, "Just tell me!"

Heero gave Duo one last sympathetic nod. "When her fellow angels cast her out, no one ever took her place. The Divide is not only flooded with the souls of vampires, but also every pair of soulmates who have been bonded since her fall. Heaven has essentially been closed off for the past four thousand years." Duo mouth slowly dropped as he parted his lips to speak, so Heero hurriedly injected his explanation, "I understand if you are mad at me for not telling you this to begin with, but it was something you had to come to terms with gradually. In my experience, it is a revelation that most can not handle hearing. Most people do not even believe it. You've been through a great deal over these past two weeks. Understand that if I were to have told you everything, all at once, it would have been too much to handle and for you, being who you are, it would have been a _very_ dangerous thing."

Duo had stop listening after the whole 'heaven has been closed off for the past four thousand years' bit and as soon as Heero stopped talking he let loose. "But, _why_? Why doesn't God do something?!"

Heero sighed. He didn't want to get Duo too worked up. It could be a disaster. He remembered what happened when it happened to him. "It's not that he _can't_," he said quietly, "He _won't_. When God created this, _all_ this, he did so with certain rules - rules that he deemed would _never_ be changed. In Heaven, they call it "Divine Law". Angels were among his first creation and it was they who were given the ability to alter existence as he does in order to do his will. It was the first of all Divine Law, on which the entirety of existence operates, law, that will not and _can not_ be undone, even if it means closing off Heaven forever."

Duo looked and sounded frustrated beyond belief. "Then what's the point? _Why? _Why would he make it like that?"

Heero shrugged and looked away, giving Duo a sideways glance, "That's not meant for us to know. It's something you'd have to ask God. Though I doubt you'll get an answer."

"I just...don't understand. Why give them his power? What's stopping them from just re-doing everything, just making it however they want? What's holding them back?!" he yelled.

Heero looked at Duo sadly, leaning over his legs. "It's their devotion to God that stops them. They have free will just as we do, but most of them don't want it. They don't need it.. They only want to serve him, to be _loved_ by him..."

Duo looked away. "But not _her_ right?"

"Who?"

"Death." the hunter said quietly, as another icy pain stabbed him across his brow, "_She_ didn't care about that, did she?"

Heero was quiet for a moment. He didn't know what Duo expected him to say, what _should_ be said or more importantly, what _shouldn't_. "I think she did...I think a part of her still does..." he paused and leaned forward in the bed, crossing his arms over his lap, "but..." he said heavily, "make no mistake, no matter how she _does_ or _doesn't_ feel about God, she wants her soulmate more."

Duo shook his head, staring at the covers, his voice thick with defeat. "What am I suppose to do, huh? How am I suppose to fix this?"

"_You_ can't." Heero said quietly.

A thousand different emotions began tearing away at Duo's heart, ripping it into pieces. He clinched his fist tightly around the hem of his shirt and hissed, "Then, what do you want from me?"

Duo flinched as Heero unexpectedly reached out and put his hand on his knee. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, but instead it made Duo feel uneasy. "You misunderstand me," he said simply, "_You_ can't, but _she _can. And to do that, I need your help."

"Me, her...Same thing, right?" Duo said, not really trying to contain the anger and frustration that was seeping into his tone.

"No, it's not. You two are not the same. Her soul and yours merely share the same vessel. She has nothing to do with who you_ really_ are."

Duo stared blankly at Heero's hand. "And just who am I? Why me? Out of all the other _vessels_ out there, out of all the other souls, why me?"

Heero pulled his hand away and casually leaned back against his hands, bowing his head and taking a deep breath, trying to decide on the best verbally course of action. "Duo..." he began hesitantly, "I don't have all the answers you are looking for -"

"Tell me, Heero!" Duo demanded loudly, his voice breaking with emotion, "Why?! _Why_ me?"

Heero looked up, locking eyes with Duo. The scowl on his young face softened and the hollow, lifeless edge to his tone was gone, replaced by something sadder, a bit more human, "All this time, even after I learned the truth. I couldn't really understand it. I always just told myself it wasn't really me, that it was _him_. I fought with myself tiredlessly about it, tried to rationalize it. Why did I feel that way when I looked at guys, not girls? The answer I always came to was simple. It was because of _him_. _He_ made me this way."

"..." Duo sat frozen, trying unsuccessfully to understand what Heero was trying to say. "Who are you talking about?"

Heero seemed to be looking right through Duo, a distant, blank look in his eyes. "But after I meet you, I felt different. And before I saw it for myself, I realized I already knew...it was me all along - Death's soulmate had nothing to do with it." he said quietly.

Duo was quick to state just how confused he was. "Her soulmate? What does her soulmate have to do with you?"

Heero bowed his head, his long, dark bangs falling over his eyes, shading them from view. "When we were with the witch, after she extracted my soul...You saw him..."

Duo's eyebrows furled inward and his mouth went dry. "What?" he whispered as a vivid image of Heero's soul extraction swam to the front of his mind, two souls melted together - one exactly like Heero, the other with large, white wings and vivid, blue eyes... "You and Death's soulmate?" Duo's violet eyes widely scanned over Heero's body. Then, something just fell into place. It was like a veil had been lifted. Is that why he felt the way he did about Heero? Because it was really Shinigami seeking her soulmate?

"Yes," Heero said, turning his hand over on his lap and staring at the faint creases in his palm. He spread his fingers apart as his voice dropped lower. "He is inside of me...Just as _she_ is inside of you."

Duo let out a shaky breath. He hadn't even aware of the fact that he had been holding it until then. His arm shuddered as he felt Shinigami's icy presence trying to re-enter his mind, blinding darkness pushing its way into the light. Duo painfully shut his eyes and shook his head, trying to ignore it. "Is that...Is that why I feel the way I do about you?"

_**'Duo...' **_she whispered to him quietly.

Duo allowed his eyes to wander across the hieroglyphic walls._ Shinigami._

**_'Listen...'_**

Duo knew he shouldn't be listening to her, but there was something in her voice that made it impossible to ignore.

_'Listen to what?'_

_**'Listen to what thou hast always wanted to hear. The deepest, darkest desire of thine heart...'**_

Duo looked up as Heero shifted his position, moving closer to Duo. "No," he said softly, "Not exactly...Do you remember when I told you it was believed that Death hitched a ride on another soul as it was being reborn?" Heero slowly raised his head, his intense eyes locking with Duo's, their faces close together. "Your soul, Duo..."

Duo squirmed under his intense gaze and looked away, a faint, pink tinge crossing his cheeks. Heero was sitting so close to him, almost touching him. "Yes..." he said softly.

"Death and her soulmate had to make sure, _absolutely_ sure, that they would find each other. You're smart. You know why magic exists..." Duo blinked and looked back up, slightly struck by the out of place comment. Heero's blue eyes locked with his intently as the young scribe put a hand over his chest. "As you can plainly see, I am very gifted with it, more so than most... and you know what that means about me..." Duo looked up into Heero's pained eyes, hanging on to every word he was saying. "You see, the two of them needed another pair of soulmates, two souls who had been unable to find one another yet, who would want to be together so _desperately_ that nothing would stop them from finding one another." He reached out and brushed a piece of hair out of Duo's face, his face softening as he looked deep into his eyes, "Like you...and like me."

Duo's heart beat loudly in his chest. He couldn't breathe...

_'Soulmate. Your soulmate. He's your soulmate...' _

Duo couldn't stop himself from allowing a small smile to spread across his lips. The moment of happiness, however, was short lived as Shinigami's silkily sweet voice filled his head.

**_'Now dost thou see?'_**

Duo stared at Heero, unable to form words as the Death's soothing voice whispered in his ear.

**_'Now is the time to end it. You could do it. Claim the vessel and give unto me what is mine, end humanity's suffering...'  
_**

_No! You're lying! I know you are. _

_**'Poor child, thou leaves me no choice.'**  
_

Duo could feel himself gradually losing over to her will. She wrapped herself around Duo's memories of Heero, beckoning him closer. Duo closed his eyes and cupped his hands over his ears, doubling over, shaking his head violently side to side. When he opened his eyes, he was on the floor and Heero was beside him, grasping his shoulders firmly as he fought to keep the hunter still. "Duo!" he said in a rush, "Tell me what's wrong! Duo!"

Duo felt like his muscles were on fire as his body shook violently in Heero's hands. "I hear her. She's calling for me," he whispered fearfully.

Heero gripped him tighter, "Who, Duo? Who's calling for you?"

"...Shinigami." he whispered.

Heero's eyes grew wide and his hands went cold. "How do you know that name?" he breathed.

"I can _feel_ her...inside my head. She's laughing. She wants out. She wants...No!" He lashed out, shoving Heero hard in the shoulder, knocking his arm away. "You have to get away from me!" he yelled hoarsely.

Heero reached out and reclaimed Duo's shoulders, re-tightening his grip on them as the hunter's entire body began to tremble. "Listen to me," he said forcibly, "I was afraid this would happen. Fight her, Duo. She's using your emotions to take control of you. You have to focus, block them out."

With a exasperated shudder, Duo collapsed against Heero's chest and closed his eyes, his arms falling at his sides, while Heero's own hands still grasped him tightly around his shoulders. "I...I can't..." the hunter stuttered, "She's so strong. She..."

Heero released his shoulders and cupped his face, pulling him back. "Duo, look at me," he said in a forced-steady tone. Duo slowly opened his violet eyes, forcing himself to look into Heero's blue ones. "It's going to be okay, but you have to listen to me, concentrate on something else. Block out whatever it is you are feeling."

_'Soulmate. He's your soulmate.' _

Duo's eyes filled up with tears, his heart pounding wildly in his chest as he felt the darkness seeping into his thoughts. "I don't know how..." he choked, "I can't..."

Heero wrapped his arms around his small body, holding onto him like he was life itself. "Yes, you can," he whispered, his breath warm against the hunter's ear, "We can get through this together.." Heavy lidded, Duo stared blankly over his shoulder. The flower on the dresser gradually bent further over, its darkening petals, turning a burnt black as it withered away to ashe before his eyes and fell to the floor. Duo felt his last bit of control slipping out of his grasp as he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry..." he whispered against Heero's cheek. Duo took a final, shaky breath, then the darkness crushed down around him.

Heero pulled away and watched fearfully as the stone floor beneath them turned a deep black. The blackness slid across the ground like spilled paint, reaching the bed. It washed over the plain posts and sheets as the simple linens rapidly molded and fell away in decay. The bed's frame rusted and cracked as the darkness spread to the dresser, charring the wood black and freezing over the surface of the mirror. It bled up the walls of the room, extinguishing the torches in its path.

In the darkness, Duo wrenched forward, clenching his teeth. He reached out for Heero and desperately threw his arms around him. His body felt like it was on fire, sharp pains stabbing him in the back, like ripping flesh from bone. He dug his nails into Heero's back, scared of what would happen if he let go. Heero's eyes swept blinkedly over Duo's back. He held a hand towards the ceiling, bring the torches back to life. He felt his hands along Duo's shoulders and neck, up to his tear-streaked face "Duo..."

Duo's shuddering body suddenly stiffened beneath Heero's fingers. He pulled away from Heero, his head bowed so that his bangs hide his face. The hunter took one slow, deep breath and slowly looked up, his violet eyes glowing beneath damp strands of chestnut hair. He looked directly into Heero's own bright eyes and a wicked smile spread across his lips. "No," he said lowly, "not anymore."

,.•´)•(•.¸

Milliardo entered the room and approached his desk. He stopped in front of it and his hand unconsciously fell to the pouch on his belt. While staring blankly at the desk, he reached up and lifted the leather flap, slipping his hand inside and touching the small bottle. He withdrew his hand and tore his gaze from the wooden surface as a familiar voice spoke.

"Are they secure?" Trieze asked in a smooth, regal tone.

"Yes. I've sealed them in Yuy's quarters." Milliardo said evenly, not bothering to turn around.

"Have you spoken to him?"

"That would prove to be a most difficult task. He is unconscious. He has sustained multiple injures through out his entire body. I did my best to regenerate them, but the magic inside him is strong. My attempt to force him conscious failed. The events surrounding his encounter with Fatalica remain uncertain. We'll just have to wait until he wakes up. Against one of the fallen, he's lucky to be alive."

Trieze crossed the stone archway into the room with purposeful, long strides. "No, luck had nothing to do with it. This is Heero Yuy we are talking about. He's cunning and resourceful, a...warrior. He knew exactly what he was doing. And when his little charade with her fell through, just as he knew it inevitably would, he knew that he would have to face her. He would have prepared for it, _counted_ on it."

"An impossible task for a human." the ex-hunter noted unnecessarily, "Just as he knows it is. So tell me, how does a human prepare to fight an angel? Be it fallen or otherwise?"

"That, my friend, is what I intend to find out." Trieze said. A moment of silence fell between them and the vampire's cerelean blue eyes suddenly fell on the leather pouch at the other's side. A tinge of acknowledgment passed over his features and he smiled softly. "Milliardo, something you're not telling me?" he asked knowingly.

Milliardo tilted his head and his eyes fell quietly on the small pouch. "Yes..." he replied softly.

"Where did you -"

"Lucrenzia." he said shortly.

"I see..."

"She knew," the turned vampire said, reaching into the pouch and pulling out the small bottle, holding it in front of him and staring at its silvery depths. Inside, a storm of emotion began to take hold of his unbeating heart. He stared longingly at the clear, corked orb, torn between relief and despair. Even though he finally had his soul back, it would do him little good. He could hold it in his hand, but that's as close as he could actually get to having it again. Unless...Heero Yuy.

"Yes, women usually do." the elder vampire replied with a soft chuckle. "Our mothers, wives, _sisters..._" Milliardo immediately looked up at Trieze, his expression unreadable. "Why did you bring Relena here?" the elder vampire asked lightly.

Milliardo's pale blue eyes shifted to the older man. Under Trieze's scrutinizing gaze, Milliardo tilted his head up. "I want her to understand...why I've done the things I've done."

"What do you -" The vampire suddenly paused, his back going rigid as his medium blue eyes darted back and forth, unfocused and wide with a long, forgotten fear. Milliardo glared around the room, searching for what could make the older vampire look so frightened. He looked so unnerved that it was...well, unnerving.

"Lord Trieze, what is it?" Milliardo barely got the words out of his mouth when it hit him- a deep pulse of power. It was dark and cold, without a doubt, the strongest magic he had ever felt.

Trieze turned his head and glared at the door. "Heero Yuy, what have you done?"

,.•´)•(•.¸

"No..." Heero said faintly, staring at Duo's gleaming violet eyes. But he knew he wasn't looking at Duo. His voice now held a factitous blend to it, laced with something cold and dark. Shinigami had taken hold of him. She held out Duo's hands and smiled softly with a certain satisfaction. She turned over his palms and flexed her fingers, curling them inward and outward, testing her new "vessel". She closed his eyes, tilted his head up and inhaled deeply, letting the breath out nice and slow. She opened his eyes wide and spread his lips into a soft, wicked smile. She lowered his head.

"At last." she said silkily.

Heero was fighting with the emotions of his pounding heart. He had prepared for this moment for so long, the inevitable direct confrontation with Death. He had trained for this his entire life, so many different scenarios and outcomes, but now that she was here, in front of him - right now - he couldn't help but feel scared. The unknown was still great and he still didn't know what she was truly capable of in a human body. Would he have the power to stop her? He didn't know. "Angel of death," he said dramatically, "...we meet at last."

She turned Duo's head in his direction, as if noticing him for the first time. It was a casual flick, her violet eyes alive with delight, much like a hungry predator observing new coming prey in an open field. "Heero Yuy..." she replied with equal banter. "Why, I hath been _dying_ to meet thee..."

Heero set his jaw firmly and looked her straight in the eye. "I'm here to make you a deal." he said dryly.

She half smiled, eyeing Heero with great amusement, "I hath no interest in thine.."

"You will listen if you know what is good for you. Lift the curse and I will return your soulmate."

She tilted Duo's head slightly, examining Heero with curious eyes. "Sweet child," she said seductively, "Thou art not in a position to barter. Thou canst not trade something that is already mine. If I must, I shall pry it from thine cold, dead body."

"Kill me and you won't be able to bond with him," Heero said evenly. Death no longer looked amused. In fact, she looked rather - scared. "Many before you have tried and failed. You know the rules, _former_ angel. Your magic is strong, but it isn't _that_ strong. His soul and mine are connected. Killing me would only delay the inevitable. In death, my soul and his would stay linked, forced to be reborn again together. Billions of souls, how long do you think it would take you to find him again? Even if you did, you'd still have to wait at least fifteen years until the vessel matured. By then, Lucifer would undoubtably find you, and by then it'd be too late."

Death was no longer smiling. Heero had undoubtably struck a nerve. She addressed him in a low hiss. "Clever guesses...but guesses none the less. Care to know the truth?"

"That is the truth," Heero said shortly, "You've only got one chance. I don't want to hurt you-"

At this, a small smile crept back onto Duo's lips. "Of course ye don't. Attacking me would risk killing _him_. Would ye risk killing thine own soulmate?" she drawled, her voice bitter and snide. Not breaking eye contact, she took several long strides towards Heero, "Heed me, child. Threaten me again and ye shall watch as I ripe his soul from this flesh and _drag_ him back to Hell with me."

Heero felt his throat going dry, but stood his ground. "If that's what you really wanted, then you would have done it already," he said, his voice firm, "No, you've worked too hard to arrange this little plot to reenter Heaven with your soulmate intact. And I'm your only chance. You've had your revenge. The people who betrayed you have paid for what they've done. Release the others."

"No." she said quietly, stopping within arm's length of the scribe. She suddenly looked over his shoulder, violet eyes darting here and there. She turned her head, as if she could hear something Heero could not. "One of my brothers remains," she said lowly, "And he shall pay for what he's done."

"It's been...four..thousand...years..." Heero stressed. "Hasn't he suffered long enough? Hasn't _humanity_ suffered long enough?"

"Humanity?" she snarled, glaring around the room, "What does _humanity_ know of suffering. Nothing! Suffering is being born to serve a biased God, one who does not want you to have the joy of true paradise. When something so perfect is meant all his creations, but you..." She paused, looking down. "Mine brothers and sisters...they do not understand." She turned back and looked at Heero, her voice sad. "_You_ do not understand."

Heero couldn't believe it. He was feeling sorry for her. He didn't think he would, but he did. After all, it wasn't her fault the curse spreads the way it does. That part remains the Devil's doing. This whole mess was his fault, but Heero was smarter than to try and reason with a creature who raged war on his own God. No, Death held the only way out now. "This has to end here," Heero said resoundly, "All the suffering, yours and theirs. Lift the curse and release their souls, then I'll give you your way back into Heaven. Then, you can resume your duties, reopen the gates..."

Staring into Heero's eyes, she did not speak. Violet eyes searching blue ones with an unspoken emotion. She looked so sad. "God will never forgive me." she said finally.

Heero smiled sadly. "I hear he's very forgiving..."

She bowed her head, averting Heero's eyes. "His forgiveness is for you humans, not us angels."

"..." Heero didn't know what to say. Nothing encouraging came to mind. It wasn't like he knew God better than an angel. But he was so close to convincing her he could taste it. He had to keep trying. However, years of training would not prepare him for what she said next.

"I shall do as you wish."

Did he hear her right? Did she just say that she'd do it? Heero couldn't believe it. It was actually going to happen. He had done it. Everything in his life had prepared him for those words. Could this actually be real? Yes, it was. A small, genuine smile of happiness spread across his face, but she did not see it.

"I hath but one condition.." she said, looking up.

"What?" Heero said, his voice a little more enthusiatic than he would have wanted.

She moved forward, closing the distance between them, her large, violet eyes searching his. "You look so much like him." she whispered.

Heero's heart sped up as she slid her hand into his hair, pulling him towards her and kissing him softly on the lips. He stood frozen as Duo's lips moved gently across his own. No, not Duo's lips, her lips. Duo wasn't kissing him, _she_ was. Heero grabbed her around the wrist and pulled back. She looked up at him sadly. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I want to remember what it is like." she said softly.

"What _what_ is like?" he asked, his mind clouded with possibilites.

She pressed her lips against his again, this time more forcibly, more controlling. She curled her hand around the back of his neck and held him in place. Heero unwillingly closed his eyes as her tongue parted his still lips and slid inside his mouth. This was wrong. What was he doing? What was he _letting_ her do? Something stirred deep inside of him as she slid her hands under his arms and down his back. Heero opened his eyes and it was like it was no longer Death doing this to him, but Duo. It was Duo's lips against his own, Duo's tongue in his mouth, _his_ hands sliding down his back.

Slowly, Heero closed his eyes and began kissing him back. There, he felt it. Desire. The overwhelming emotion filled his heart and his mind went blank, and all he knew was the person in front of him. Years of waiting, his mind dreamed of it, his body ached for it. The catalyst of emotion was too great to ignore, ruthlessly seizing control of his needing body.

Duo moaned hungrily into his mouth, increasing the pressure and intensity of their kiss, desperately urging Heero to respond. And he did. With a soft moan, Heero wrapped his arms around Duo's lithe body and crushed it against his own, kissing him deeply, eagerly.

The next thing he knew, Duo had him pinned to the floor. His soft lips brushed against the curve of Heero's neck and hesitated there, before nipping gently at the flushed, hot skin beneath. Heero breathed a soft gasp as Duo's tongue traced small circles against his flesh. Wild blue eyes shot open, staring at the torch-lite ceiling over Duo's shoulder, unable to focus, unable to think. His warm lips parted against the cold, damp air, inhaling soft, shaky breaths filled with pleasurable torture.

Every nerve in his body was alive with sensation. It had to be Duo. Only Duo could make him feel this way. Heero reached out with icy fingertips, digging them into Duo's soft skin and pulling his thin body closer. He closed his eyes as Duo unburied his face from his neck and reclaimed his mouth in a hot, demanding kiss.

As Duo's tongue slid into his mouth once more, a new feeling stirred within him...something warm and uncertain.

What was it?

Duo caressed his tongue against Heero's as his hand traveled down his bare chest, finding a soft nub of flesh and tracing his finger around it. Heero arched his back and buckled his hips, grinding into the person on top of him, but Duo broke the kiss and slipped off of him. Smirking, Duo placed a hand on Heero's hip and roughly pressed the scribe back into the floor, making it perfectly clear who was in control. And it was not Heero.

A slave to his senses, Heero was quick to comply as he relaxed his back against the cold, hard floor and closed his eyes. With a small chuckle, Duo's face dipped lower and his lips descended upon Heero's neck once more. Heero swallowed to clear his throat, trying to force down the pounding of his heart. Anticipation and fear flowing in his veins, Heero wanted this more than he had ever wanted anything, this desire, this _need_ to be complete.

Sex.

What would it feel like? He didn't know...

Then, Duo's hand slid lower, tracing a single cold fingertip under the waist of his pants. The simple touch sent his mind into overdrive, eliciting a new level of arousal, running along his nerves and building up, numbing through his mind. Duo's lips left Heero's neck as he slid down his chest. Heero's eyes fluttered open and looked down at Duo. Only when he saw that Heero was looking at him, did Duo begin tracing his tongue around one of his nipples, curving it upward into his teeth and smiling slowly.

Heero thrust his head back and balled up his fists at his sides, as a soft moan escaped his lips. Satisfied, Duo slowly slipped his hand under Heero's waistband as the body under him quietly shuddered in nervous pleasure. Buried in fabric, his hand brushed past Heero's obvious arousal, purposely missing it and instead, began massaging his hot thigh. As Duo's wrist slid up and down across his erection, Heero moaned in frustration.

Even as Heero arched toward Duo's touch he knew it was wrong. Somewhere amid his own chaotic desire, a single thought began to creep into him like a slow poison.

_'What am I doing? This isn't him. This isn't Duo.'_

_**'Give in...' **_another voice whispered in his head._**  
**_

_'No..this isn't right.' _

As if sensing his inner turmoil, Duo topped Heero once more, kissing him hot and full on the lips. And as Duo's fingers gently moved to cup his balls, the thought vanished, like a wisp of smoke into a foggy morning. Heero pulled his hands up and grabbed Duo by the sides, buckling his hips upward. He found himself vaguely wondering if this is how vampires felt when the thirst began to take hold of them, this feeling, this all consuming need for something so seemingly unnatural, yet all too familiar.

Heero felt Duo's hand suddenly slid out of his pants and he couldn't help but whimper slightly. Was Duo just teasing him? Why?

No. He wasn't. Duo had other plans. He broke their kiss and straightened his back, completely disengaging himself from the other boy. Heero opened his eyes in confusion, his mind racing with embarrassment and his body still desperate for contact.

He can only marvel in Duo's beauty as the brunette reached behind his back and pulled his braid over his shoulder. Not taking his eyes off Heero, his hand glided down to the end of the thick plait of hair and yanked the binding off with one simple, quick tug. He dug a single finger into the middle and slowly unraveled it. Then he tossed it back over his shoulder and leaned backwards, shaking it free of his scalp. As his burning violet eyes descended back upon Heero, a cascade of soft chestnut hair fell down his shoulders and across his sides, masking his tantalizing curves.

Duo's lips curved into a subtle smirk as he slammed a hand against the floor next to Heero's head and bent down over him. He allowed his lips to brush over Heero's as he brought a finger up and slid it into his parted mouth. His body knew what his mind didn't as Heero began sucking desperately on the probing digit. Duo then pressed himself fully against Heero and rocked forward, his teeth grazing against Heero's neck. As Duo slipped in a second finger, Heero reached out and laced his fingers in his gorgeous, silky hair, pressing his mouth against his neck.

Duo laid a trail of heated blotches across his neck as he worked his fingers across Heero's tongue, getting the maximum amount of wetness on them. As Duo pulled the fingers out of his mouth and slid his hand back down to his pants, Heero tried to force himself to calm down, his body a mixed jumble of tense muscles and shot nerves. His heart and lungs refused to slow as the hand reentered his pants, his body aching for release.

Duo slid his fingers on either side of Heero's hot length, coating it in saliva. Heero's chest rose and fell in panicked shifts, a dull ache settling his heart that didn't feel like his own. But before he can understand what it could be, Duo wrapped his fingers around his heated shaft and gave him a firm, quick stroke.

"Ahhn!"

There was no turning back. Though he worried about what was about to come, his own want kept him there, and as Duo's lips brushed against his ear, it was all he could do to stop from spilling himself right then and there.

"Duo.." Heero whispered, his voice thick with lust.

"Yes..." he said, his voice low and husky, "That's right...Duo..."

For a second Heero brow flinched and he opened his eyes. "What?" he muttered, but his voice was quickly silenced as Duo's hand squeezed him gently and slid downward again..then again. A whisper of long hair tickled at his side as Heero's bright blue eyes fluttered closed once more.

A pleasurable shiver ran down Heero's back as Duo's warm breath and sultry voice brushed against his ear. "I want you to do something for me..." he whispered, his voice like warm chocolate.

"Anything." Heero replied without thinking.

**_'Release me...' _**

All of a sudden there was a loud sound of cracking stone and Heero felt the warmth above him disappear. Heero brought his hands up and covered his face, his recent activities assaulting his senses in a violent daze. He jerked himself into a sitting position and glared across the room. Duo had been thrown into the wall. He now hung there, unconscious, his loose hair covering his lopped over head and half naked body.

He turned his head to his door. There stood Trieze and Milliardo, who calmly had his hand held out with a confused look on his pale, ageless face.

"Heero Yuy..." Trieze hissed lowly, his voice venomous, "I think you have some explaining to do."

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Can I just say I loved this chapter. I know it took me longer than usual, but I loved writing it. Parts of it just flowed out so nicely. Oh, wow. What happens now? Jeez, I don't know...Tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	12. The Sealed Gate

**Author's Note:** I posted two chapters at once because I thought the first one was so boring and nothing really happens. Thanks everyone who have been waiting three months on this. Well, in the three month time span of not writing these chapters, I have become obsessed with Kingdom Hearts. I want to write a Sora x Riku fic so bad it hurts, but I want to finish this one first. I know I can't do both at once, because neither would ever get updated as quickly as I would like. So hopefully that will provide me with the motivation to finish this one soon. Also in my defense, I have done a lot of fanart for my fic. I've updated my site with the new additions (what the hunter's uniform looks like, Death in angel form, the gate, and more). Enough babbling, on with the chapter...

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _The Sealed Gate_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

The sound of soft footsteps and creaking wood echoed through the quiet of the old room as Quatre ran a finger across the spines of several tattered books, looking for something, anything, that could possibly be of some help. Sighing, he grabbed "Society of Angels" and "The High Order of Heaven", and wearily tucked them under his arm, then turned toward a book-covered table in the center of the room. He dropped the two additions on the corner and plopped down in the worn leather chair, burying his hands in his pale hair.

An image of the both of them, shadowed by the two souls they each had in their bodies, lingered relentlessly in his mind. Unfortunately, multiple souls in one body happened quite often, especially since the Divide was in such constant chaos now. It is a condition that some are unaware they have. In science, they call it multiple personality disorder. Conflicted souls, each seeking their own different soulmates, rage war on the mind and body, battling for control. He'd personally seen it once before, in a girl as she fell victim to the curse, several years ago. Quatre was seven years old then.

He had watched helplessly as the curse began to take hold of her. At that time he hadn't known the specifics of his own soul's fate, nor did he understand the true purpose of magic. So, with child-like innocence, he remembered how fortunate he felt when he was able to witness what most only read about, courtesy of his present company, a councilman well versed in the magic used to see unbound souls, a type of magic more commonly know as ghost watching. Quatre was young, yes, but he could recall the event in all its tragedy quite vividly, a darkened reminder etched deep within his memory.

Her body had three souls. He had watched, enveloped in a twisted blend of fear and excitement, as each one became infected with the curse. And as he watched her die, he'd seen it first hand. There was one soul seemingly in control, by all means "awake" while her other two were "asleep", somewhere out of her dying mind's awareness. But when Duo's soul was extracted, he watched with a different kind of anticipation, knowing what he was about to see something that no living human before him had: the soul of an angel. It was just as one would have imagined, a perfect being of terrible beauty, crafted single-handedly by God, breathtaking and adoned with wings.

Although he was mesmerized by the phenomenon, it was expected. It was only when he saw Heero's soul extracted did Quatre really fall in awe. He too had another soul within him, and not just any other soul, an angel's soul! There seemed to be some connection between the two, but what? What did it mean? It happening once, maybe...but _twice_? And to two people he knew, none the less. Quatre had been pouring over books for hours, but there was no record of such a thing ever happening in any previously written text dealing with souls, heaven, or the roles of its angels on Earth.

Had Heero known what laid within him this entire time? _How_ did it happened? Was this why he thought they were soulmates? Was he simply sensing the same resonance within them? Quatre dropped one of his hands out of his hair and began riffling through his newest text. Quatre stared blankly at the opened book. It was no use. He could look here all he wanted, but in the end he knew what he would have to do. If he wanted answers, he would have to go after Heero.

"I know what you're thinking..." Trowa replied in a low voice, arms crossed, leaning against the open doorway. "and there's no use in going. He won't tell you anything."

Quatre frowned and shut his book. Trowa knew him too well. "Maybe you're right, but I have to try. Don't you see? This could be the answer to everything. I have to go find them, Trowa. I have to know."

"No. You don't." he said flatly. "Heero doesn't owe you an explanation, and it's highly unlikely he'll give you one. "

"If you're just here to try and convince me -"

"I'm not here to convince you of anything. I'm here because another summon has came for you, Clan Leader Winner." he explained curtly, pushing himself off the doorway and standing tall. "You can't keep ignoring the Council. You know what will happen."

"..." Quatre stared at the floor. _Clan Leader Winner_...When had they gone back to such formalities? Wasn't it just yesterday that Trowa had been ready to sacrifice his own life for his? What had changed?

"And."

And. There was always an _and_. Quatre looked up with round, aqua eyes.

"I'm worried about you. You haven't been the same since we got back." Trowa walked over and surveyed Quatre with a troubled expression, his saddened green eyes searching Quatre's aqua ones. "You let her get to you," he said sympathetically. He sounded defeated, his face betraying emotions he'd taught it to forget. He had let himself become attached, something warriors were never suppose to do, not in a time of war. It compromised rational thought, appropriate response. When had he became so weak? But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop caring about the young clan leader. Even if it was a lost cause, for them both, but still...

"Quatre, listen to me. You've got to stop thinking about it. This can't go on. There are people depending on you; your clan, your friends, your family."

But Quatre couldn't stop thinking about it. Her words haunted him.

_I've been waiting for thee...and thy soul. The day shall soon dawn when he begs me to take him._

"Don't you think I've tried?" he snapped angrily, standing up. "It's easy for you, isn't it? To sit there and tell me how I should feel! You're not the one whose soulmate is in Hell! You're not the one who's dead!"

Slap!

Quatre felt the tears well up in his eyes as Trowa's hand came hard across his face. Quatre brought his hand up and shakily touched his stinging cheek, his aqua eyes wide with shock, slowly turning his head back around.

"Did that hurt?" the hunter asked in a low hiss, looking at the clan leader venomously.

"Trowa, what - What the hell was that for?" Quatre shouted angrily.

"I said, did it hurt?!" Trowa repeated, a dangerous look in his eye.

Quatre looked confused. "You slapped me! Of course it did! What -"

"If you were dead, then you wouldn't have felt it. Dead people can't feel, Quatre. So I don't ever want to hear you say that again."

Quatre didn't know whether to feel humiliated or glad that Trowa hit him. Which ever it was, Trowa didn't give him time to decide. He grabbed him by one of his long sleeves and started dragging him out of the room. "We are leaving," he said firmly, "There are bigger things happening here besides this. Duo will be fine with Heero. That guy's not about to let anything happen to him. You still believe in Duo, don't you?"

It seemed like such a corny thing to ask.

If you believed in someone.

"Yeah," Quatre said softly, "I do."

"Well, then that's more than enough." the hunter said warmly with a reassuring smile. A hard tug later, he pulled Quatre through the door, voice booming with energy. "Now come on! Your clan needs you!"

With a death-like grip, Trowa began dragging his superior officer down the hallway. While behind him, Quatre grudgingly followed, unable to resist the small smile that crept onto his face.

,.•´¯•.¸

"Heero Yuy..." Trieze hissed lowly, his voice venomous, "I think you have some explaining to do."

Heero's hands immediately flew to his pants, pulling them quickly over his exposed area. His mind was reeling. A part of him was vaguely aware of what had just happened and another was trying to determine if it was real or not. He wasn't even sure if he was seeing Milliardo and Trieze, or if he was just imagining them there. Was he dreaming? Images of Duo's smiling face slowly began to fade, replaced by cold, hard reality. It hadn't been Duo at all. It was _Death_. He had let _her_ touch him. And _why_?

He turned his head and looked back. Duo's back was glued to the wall, his feet dangling uselessly inches above the ground. Heero felt Duo's resonance slowly returning. Milliardo's spell had sent Shinigami out of control of him. Heero rubbed the back of his head as he shifted into a more dignified position, his back aching something terrible. "Put him down." he told Milliardo.

Milliardo shifted his eyes to the side, towards the other vampire.

"Do nothing, Milliardo." Trieze replied sharply.

"You heard me." Heero replied stiffly. "Let him down_. Immediately._"

Trieze's eyes widened in anger, the knuckles on his tightening first turning white beneath his gloves. "Now _you_ hear _me_. You're going to tell me how you did this, and you're going to tell me right now."

Heero's eyes shifted to Duo. "You have to let us leave. _Now_." he explained pointedly. "There isn't time."

"You will find the time!" Trieze shouted. The vampire marched over angrily, grabbing Heero by the throat and pushing him back into the floor. "Tell me right now! _How_! How did you do it?!"

Heero coughed to try and relieve the pressure against his vocal cords, but it didn't help. It was too late. There was nothing he could say that Trieze would be pleased to hear. He couldn't explain what he planned on doing without letting go of certain secrets he needed to continue to keep hidden from the vampire. His life wasn't the only thing he could end up losing.

"She's...She's always been with him!" he managed to strain out, his voice crushed against the cold hand of the livid vampire.

"That's a lie!" Trieze hissed, tightening his grip, "If that were true, I would have felt her when this boy came here the first time. Now tell me the truth!" Holding Heero's gaze and leaning in close, Trieze's crystal blue eyes began to glow, dark blue gleaming in the candle-lite darkness.

_Verum extraho_. Truth extraction.

In Heaven, Trieze had been one of the judgment angels, a high-ranked angel charged with judging soulmates to see if they were fit to enter Heaven. He could extract their life's achievements and thoughts. If they had been true to the word of God, they could enter. If not, he would either send them to be torn apart and cleansed, or torn apart and sent to Hell, depending on what they had done to be rendered unfit to enter Heaven. _Verum extraho_ was an ability he, like the other original twelve, had retained after their imprisonment. While he never consummated a child, most of his other fellow banished angels eventually did. Their nephilim offspring were what both the entire vampire society and the Order of Phytoran came to call "pureblooded vampires", beings half angel and half human, cursed from Heaven. They were not by any means "pureblood" anything, but it was the easy thing to call a child born into the life of a vampire. The nephilim inherited various deluded versions of the same abilities, though none quite as strong, nothing compared to this. Heero had seen Trieze use it before, but he had never been on the receiving end.

It felt like his mind was being torn apart. Trieze ripped through his memories, looking for the right one that would tell him what he needed to know. Heero's eyes went dull, his body falling limp under Trieze's hand. Trieze slightly loosened his grip against Heero's neck to allow him to speak. Words Heero couldn't control slipped unbiddingly from his lips.

"She's been in stasis." the scribe explained, his voice raspy and robotic. "Asleep. Hiding. When Fatalica extracted his soul, she became aware of herself. It wasn't suppose to happen. I don't know how it happened."

Milliardo looked away from Duo, turned and glanced from Heero to Trieze.

_'She? Who was she? What the hell were they talking about?'_

"My lord, what's going on? Who is he talking about? I thought we came here because you said_ he_," he lazily inclined his head at Heero, "was dying? What these two were doing hardly qualifies as -"

"I didn't say he was dying. I said he was in danger of _Death_." Trieze said flatly, eyes returning to normal. He jabbed a gloved finger at Duo. "_That_ is not Duo Maxwell. It is _Death_."

Heero's eyes swam back into focus. He coughed and strained his eyes to look upwardly behind him at Duo. "No, it's not." he said, still feeling the effects of Trieze's truth extraction. "She's gone. I can't feel her anymore. I only feel Duo."

Trieze blinked and looked at him with somewhat alarm, releasing his hand from the scribe's throat. "Pray tell, how could you _feel_ her in the first place? The souls of angels can only be felt by their brethren."

It was a little known fact. Heero had pretended it to be the problem when he was trying to locate Trieze's soul before Trieze himself found it. The after-effects of the extraction rapidly fading, Heero could finally lie. _'Think fast. Keep it simple.'_

"The absense of Duo's soul's presence is _her soul's_ presence, feeling through unfeeling. Now, I can feel Duo's again. When multiple souls share a body, only one can be in control. You know this."

Glad this answer seemed to satisfy Trieze, Heero mentally breathed a sigh of relief. _'Too close.' _he chidded himself._ 'I can't have him extracting anything else out of me. He can't know about Death's soulmate. '_

Heero looked back at Duo. _'No time! No time!' _He couldn't wait. His mind rapidly began formulating an escape plan. _'It won't be long before Lucifer hones in on her resonance. I gotta get Duo and get out of here. ' _Heero glared around the room with annoyance. _'What's taking him so long?'_

Beside them, Milliardo was no longer listening. He only stared at Duo, a crease falling across the vampire's brow in a confused line. "Death?" he said whispered skeptically, shifting his eyes back on Trieze, "As in the _Angel of Death_?" He gave Trieze a disbelieving look. The only angels ever to be bound in human form were the original thirteen vampires, none before and none after. "How can that be possible?"

Ignoring the question in front of him, Trieze turned and looked at Heero. "You've been lying to us from the beginning." he said calmly. "Tell me, what was your plan? Use _her _to kill us?!"

"No," said Heero, seething, "Use her to _save_ you, to save all of us. She's the only one that can do it and you know it. I had to be certain she was in him. That's why I went to see Fatalica. That's why I -"

"You fool. Do you have _any_ idea what you've done?" the older vampire hissed, his voice low and dangerous. He looked at Duo's unconscious form, sneering. "She can not and _will_ not help you. It is not in her nature. God created her to bring an end to life. _That_ is her sole purpose. And in case you've forgotten, she no longer belongs to God. Her soul is no longer her own, it belongs to the Demon Lord now. She knows what's coming next. That's why she hid herself. As hard as it is for someone like yourself to believe, her loyalty still lies with God. You are only human, you can not possible understand."

Heero glared at Trieze hatefully. _'I understand better than you can possibly know.' _

"She did not support the morning star in his attempt to overthrow Heaven the first time, tried as he did to convince her. And she doesn't want to help him now. You see, she knows all too well what Lucifer is like and what he plans to do. When she was hidden, Heaven still stood a chance, but, now that he knows where to find her, he will stop at _nothing_ to reclaim her. And when that happens, she'll have no choice, but to fulfill her end of their bargin. Forced to ride one of the horses in the apocalypse, blanketing humanity with disease, madness and fire, Lucifer will use her to burn this world and everything in it to a cinder. With Heaven closed off, all the perished souls will pass directly unto him. Then he'll use her to reopen the sealed gate. Then, after that, it's only a matter of time until he conquers Heaven."

Heero stared at him dispassionately. It wasn't anything he didn't know already. "That's why you've got to let us leave." he explained. "We can not stay here, waiting for him to find us."

Trieze almost laughed, the after effect evident in his tone. "And where would you go?" he asked.

"Somewhere safe." Heero replied easily.

Trieze shook his head, amusement forgotten. "Where? Don't you understand? There's nowhere _safe_ to go. We are talking about the Lord of _Hell_. No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, he will find her. And there's nothing you can do to stop him."

Heero gave Trieze a knowing look. "You and I both know that there are places in this world that even _he_ can not venture."

Trieze seemed to consider something for a moment, while staring resolutely at Heero. "She'll never go back there."

"Yes, she will. I have something she wants."

"She only wants one thing and you don't have it." the vampire replied snidely as Heero stood. It was dangerous territory. Heero had to be careful what he said next. Trieze snorted, taking Heero's lack of a come back as proof.

"Do not think that you can control her." he said knowingly, "She's already shown you any attempt would be _less_ than futile. There's only one thing left to be done." Trieze raised his hand towards Duo, a ball of intense magic forming against his outstretched palm.

Heero instinctively raised his own hand to summon his own magic to stop him from whatever he was about to do, but the air in front of him remained unchanged. With a terrifying jolt, he realized his power was being blocked. He couldn't stop him. He whipped around at Milliardo. With a devilish smirk on his face, the vampire chiddingly shook his head. He tore his eyes away in anger, looking at Trieze in alarm. "What are you doing?!" he demanded.

"The only thing I can. I'm going to kill her."

Heero lunged forward, but Milliardo held up his other hand, causing Heero's body to fly across the room, only to be slammed against the wall next to his soulmate's. Heero thrashed with all his might, but couldn't move. "Stop it!" he yelled, a desperate plea in his normally collected voice. "You can't! You kill her, you kill Duo too!"

Trieze frowned. "This is not like you, Heero Yuy. Why do you care so much about what happens to him?" A small smile crept onto Trieze's face as his pale blue eyes began to glow. He began casually walking closer. "Or is there something else you're not telling me?"

_'No.'_

It was happening. And there was nothing Heero could do to stop him. As soon as Trieze re-invaded his mind he would know everything, the truth about his connection to Duo and the truth behind his own soul and the one bound to it. All Heero could do was stare at Trieze, knowing what the vampire would do once he knew. He would force Death's soulmate out of him and do the same to Duo, with no regard to either one of them. Trieze, unlike Heero, had only one final goal: reopen Heaven's gate and go home. What became of the soulmates trapped in the Divide would come second and what happened to Heero and Duo didn't matter at all. Their souls could be torn apart forever and he wouldn't care, not if it meant going home.

Heero's blood ran cold as Trieze's eyes pierced into his mind and began ripping the truth out of him. "I..." he said, straining his voice to stop, tears welling up in his eyes, "have her -"

Suddenly, the room filled with a thick puff of dark grey smoke.

_'Finally. He's here.'_

Trieze felt his wrist about break as a black, gloved hand connected with it in a painful chop, accompanied by the awkward sensation of a needle prick. His arm felt suddenly useless. At the same time, he felt it beginning to fall against his will. No longer in his control, the spell hit the ground, sending a shower of rock fragments over Heero and Duo. It all happened so fast. The next thing he knew, his knees had gave out and he found himself on the floor, his body unable to move. Powerless, all he could do was lay there on the floor and look into the eyes of his attacker as the person crouched over him, black eyes cold as ice. "Who are you? What did you do to me -?"

Through the black cloth, a chinese accented voice spoke low and dangerous. "Less than you deserve."

,.•´¯•.¸

Milliardo spun around. He couldn't see anything, only a darkened outline of Trieze shifting within the clouded screen. Then, without warning, he saw Trieze's spell hitting the floor, missing it's intended target, followed by the crumpled sound of elder vampire's body as it hit the floor. They were under attack, but by who? And how? How could someone get this far without him sensing their presence? Milliardo sneered, fangs bared. Crystal blue eyes swept the cover of smoke, half his concentration honed on keeping Duo and Heero pinned to the wall, the other half searching for a target. As the smoke grazed his unblinking eyes, they began to water. His attention was snapped when Trieze's desperate voice cut through the smoke.

"Milliardo! Take Death and get out of here!"

Milliardo felt a snap as the magic between his hand and the boy's bodies was suddenly severed. He tore off running through the short distance between himself and his captives, but he was too late. They were gone.

,.•´¯•.¸

Everything seemed so far away. His mind felt heavy, his thoughts not quite clear. Flashes of images and sounds ran through his conscious like forgotten dreams. He could hear Heero's voice.

"What took you so long?"

There was another voice too, someone unfamiliar.

"Ungrateful words coming from someone in need of my help."

Duo could almost picture the way Heero was crossing his arms and staring at the other man with a semi-death glare. He had to force himself not to laugh. "Who are you calling ungrateful? Have you forgotten that you wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for me?"

The other man was seemingly unaffected. "I guess now we're even." he said flatly. His voice sounded young. Under it there was something undeniably cold, the hollow sound of a battle-hardened warrior.

"He wasn't aiming for me, Wufei." Heero told him.

"So, I take it he knows. Well, this boy sure looks more _feminine_ than the others. Are you sure this is her?"

_'More feminine than the others?'_ Duo inwardly scowled. He didn't like being referred to as _"her"_ at all, much less being described as feminine. Duo made a mental note to off this guy the first chance he got.

"I have seen her with my own eyes."

"Were there any problems with the demon witch?"

"No," came the short answer.

"You don't sound so certain, Yuy." Duo felt a short pang of jealousy. This guy - Woofay - whoever it was, must have heard something in Heero's voice that Duo did not. How well did this stranger know his soulmate?"

"The witch did just as I told you she would. She extracted my soul and saw the other. She attacked me."

"Then what?"

Heero immediately fell into a lengthy explanation of what happened: how he let Death's soulmate take him over and how he couldn't kill the witch, so he threw her into the Black Gate, leaving them with their current problem. Wufei stopped him when he got to the part about Milliardo showing up.

"Does Trieze know? About him? About _you_?"

"He only knows about Duo. And that's enough. If Trieze knew about me - about _him_ - I wouldn't still be here." Heero said darkly, his voice coming closer.

"How much time do we have?"

"Not a lot. Now that Death has awakened, the Lord of Hell will seek her out. By any means necessary."

"And this boy, he has been able to hold her? She hasn't tried to take control of him?"

Who did this guy think he was? He was talking about him like he was some _kid_, nevermind the fact that Duo had been fighting against vampires the better half of his life (if it could indeed be called that).

Heero was quiet for a moment. The only thing Duo could hear was the rustle of fabric as Heero walked past him. Duo slowed his breathing, continuing to faux sleep. Finally, Heero said, "As a matter of fact she has - and easily succeeded."

Okay, that didn't exactly help Duo's mental arguement. _'Thanks, Heero.'_

"What?" For the first time Wufei's voice showed some hint of emotion - apprehension. "Is this - is this _her_? Why didn't you say anything -- Why did you let me bring her here?!"

"Relax, Chang," Heero said in a bored voice. "She's no longer in control of him, though not by choice."

"Tell me what happened."

"I knew it would eventually come to it, but I didn't think it would happen so soon," Heero began a little hesitantly, "He asked me a lot of questions. Questions, that deserved answers. He saw a pair of soulmates in the Divide. He asked me to explain. It was only fair that I be the one to have told him that Heaven was closed off. He began to get..._emotional,_" Heero said uncertainly, as if trying to decide if that was indeed the right word.

"Why did you tell him that?" the other asked in a severe way.

"Because!" Heero nearly shouted, "He had a right to know."

"But you knew this could happen -"

"Telling him about Heaven isn't what triggered him."

"Then what did?"

"I told him he was my soulmate. I explained how Death and her soulmate used us to find one another again. The next thing I knew, Duo said he could hear her speaking to him. The whole room turned dark. Then I was no longer talking to Duo. I was talking to her."

"What did she say?" Wufei asked eagerly.

Heero began retelling his fateful encounter with Shinigami. He uncomfortably paused at the part when she said she'd help him. Duo felt the color rising in his cheeks. It may not have been him, but he remember everything. He had watched powerless to stop her, as she used his body to seduce Heero, kissing him, touching him. It was the weirdest experience of Duo's life, to both want and not want something, all at the same time. He could see everything happening, but it was like he was behind a pane of glass, watching himself. He could see Heero, but not _feel_ Heero. He couldn't feel anything. No emotion -- nothing. It was heart wrenching. Duo mentally shook his head. There was no way he wanted Heero telling this guy, whoever he was, about any of it. It was too _personal_.

"It doesn't matter though. She hadn't actually planned on helping me, at least not yet. She only wanted to try to get her soulmate out of me."

"What do you mean?"

_'Don't tell him. Please, don't tell him.' _

"The rest is not important," Heero told him. "Trieze and Milliardo put a stop to her. They came busting through the door and knocked her out - no questions asked. That's enough. We can discuss the rest later -- time is short."

Duo quietly breathed a sign of relief.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go -- Wake him up."

"He is awake. He's been listening to us talk for the past ten minutes."

Busted!

Duo sheepishly opened his eyes and sat up. He was in a very oriental styled room. Various tapestries hung on the light-colored walls, depicting various pieces of vampire mythology - or at least that's what Duo thought. They were grafted in chinese, so he couldn't be sure, but the pictures gave a fairly clear message without having to understand what was written. Various weapons: shrunkens, silver stakes, swords and several sleek, shiny guns lined one whole wall - a vampire hunter's room. At least this time they were in what Duo would consider to be "good company". His eyes immediately fell on Heero and his conversationalist.

He was a hunter, wearing the same traditional black hunting garb all the Order of Phytorn hunters wore. Seated with Heero at the table, he eyed Duo from under his hood.

"Let's make this quick." the other hunter said bluntly. "Do you know where you are?"

"No." Duo replied truthfully, wondering briefly if the other hunter expected him to.

"You are in China." came the emotionless answer from the hunter, "This is the Shenlong Clan."

"Okay..." Duo said, stealing another quick glance around.

"Duo, this is Chang Wufei. He helped get us out of Pallintine. He helped train me. He can be trusted" Heero explained seamlessly, looking at Wufei out of the corner of his eye. "The new formula works well I see." The comment was bland, as though Heero had just pointed out an obvious fact.

"Yes, though I would have liked much better to have drove a stake through him instead." Wufei replied icily.

Heero eyed him quietly for a moment. "Thank you, Wufei." he said finally. "I know how hard that was for you. I know you wanted to kill him -"

Wufei stood up and cut across him. "We better get started." he said, his voice bitter with some unspoken regret. It was obvious that whoever this hunter was, he shared some kind of personal history with the vampire and it didn't sound good.

"Get started?" Duo replied uneasily, getting to his feet.

"Yes." said Heero, walking over. "We came here for a reason. This place is special."

Duo glanced around some more, unimpressed. "What's so special about it?"

"Can't you feel it?" Heero asked.

"Feel _what_?"

"That's what I thought. You were hit pretty hard. Death must be out of reach of you for the moment. She'd be able to feel it, and in turn so would you."

**_'He sounds very confident. Wouldn'tst thou say, Duo?'_**

Duo's eyes widened and he looked to the side. "It's _her_."

"Wufei, get back." Heero said quietly, and gave the chinese hunter a gentle push back. Heero stepped forward and grabbed Duo by the arms. "Duo, look at me. What did she say?"

Duo looked back at Heero. His soulmate was looking very serious. Duo could feel his heart beating loudly in his chest at the prospect of Death taking back control of his body. Forcing himself to breath calmly, he looked at Heero blankly and said, "She said that you sounded confident."

Heero's lips drew into a fine line as Duo's eyes shifted in the corner to a slightly more violet shade. "You understand what's happening and I know you know where we are and what I'm about to ask you to do."

Duo's brow scrunched up in confusion. Was Heero talking to him or her?

_**'Thou seekth the opening of the Parting Gate.'**_

Duo's eyes shifted to the side. "The _what_?" he whispered.

"What did she say?" Heero asked.

Duo closed his eyes and shook his head. This was weird beyond words, having a conversation with two people, but not actually getting to say anything at all. Was this how it was always going to be? Having another person in his head, saying weird stuff and him not having any control over it? Duo opened his eyes and looked back at Heero. "She said that you wanna open some kind of gate."

"Yes. It must be reopened. He is coming for you. Right now. Opening the sealed gate is your only chance." He tightened his grip on Duo's arms. "You know what he'll do to you if he finds you."

"Ow, Heero!" Duo complained. Heero looked at him strangely for a moment, then released him altogether. "Oh." he replied in a short, confused tone. "Right..."

"Look. just give me a moment, okay?" Duo held up a hand, bowed his head and closed his eyes.

_ 'What is the Parting Gate?'_

_**'Why art thou asking me? Why not ask him?' **_she replied in a cocky, amused tone.

_'I want...to hear it from you.'_

Silence, then, _'**Very well, child.'**_

Duo smiled. She listened to him and did what he asked. It was a start.

**_'The Parting Gate exists within the Divide. It is the true border between Heaven and Earth. It is nameth as such because it is the place where all soulmates part, be it together into Heaven, or apart back to Earth. Beyond it, is the Judgment Hall, and after that, the Gate of Heaven. I sealed the Parting Gate over four millennia ago, when I left to find my soulmate. I hold its only key. What Heero Yuy says is true. It is the only place in the world the Lord of Hell can not enter.'_**

_'Then what are you waiting for? Open it!' _

_**'To what end? My own? I think not.'**_

_'You heard what he said. The Devil is after you. If you don't do this, **right now,** you are going to get a one way ticket back to Hell, and you're going to take me with you! Is that what you want?!'_

**_'What I want,' _**she said, her honey sweet voice low and dangerous,**_ 'is my soulmate back.'_**

,.•´¯•.¸

After several moments of awkward silence, Wufei stepped forward, leaning cautiously around Heero's shoulder. "What is he doing?" he whispered.

"He is talking to her." replied Heero quietly.

"Is that a good idea?" Wufei asked, a fair amount of uneasiness creeping into his tone.

"There is no barrier between their thoughts. He has to talk to her, regardless of if he wants to or not. Duo knows -" Heero snapped his head around, eyes fearfully scanning the room.

Wufei immediately unsheathed several weapons on his person and glared around the room as it grew steadily colder. "Heero?"

"He's found her."

Heero reached out and grabbed Duo, pulling him close. Duo's eyes shot opened. "Duo, listen to me," he said quickly, "We have to go -- Now!"

The three of them cut into the Divide. Duo stared over Heero's shoulder at the large ornate stone gate behind him. Carved in an intricate pattern, the bright white stone clashed luminously against it's dark surroundings. The Parting Gate.

"Shinigami, you must open the gate!"

_'You know he is right. It's either that or hello Hell.'_ Duo told her.

The prospect of Hell was not a pleasant one. She knew she had no choice. _**'Give thine body to me.'**_

"What!" Duo exclaimed out loud. "I'm not giving you my body!"

"Duo," Heero said hurriedly, "Listen to her! She has to open the gate. You have to do as she says."

Duo looked at Heero in disbelief. "Don't you remember what she did to you last time?!"

"What's he talking about?" Wufei asked, but Heero didn't answer him.

"We don't have time to argue this," he told Duo. "You have to listen to me very carefully. You have to_ want_ her to do this. You have to want her to take control of you. Do you understand?"

No. He very well did not. What Heero was asking for was dangerous. What would happen if she attacked him? Heero seemed to be reading his mind.

"She doesn't have time to attack us. She needs to open the gate. Let her do it!"

Duo nodded his head and closed his eyes. How was he suppose to _want_ her to take him over? It was the furtherest thing from what he wanted. He took a deep breath to steady himself. He instead focused on wanting to open the gate. He wanted to save them, save Heero. With an uneven jerk, Duo felt himself move. She was moving him. He started to panic. "Relax, Duo!" Heero said. "Let it happen."

Duo watched as she raised his hands, a large, black scythe materializing into his grasp.She wrapped Duo's hands around its twisted, braided handle. It was every bit of five and a half foot long. The blade curved around perfectly, blending seamlessly into the handle. At the bottom of the handle, a strange, key-like design.

_'Wow.' _thought Duo in awe._'It's beautiful.' _

She hoisted it high above his head in an attack position, looking at Heero.

_'NO!'_ thought Duo desperately. _'She's gonna -'_

She turned and rushed for the door, giving it a twist. In one swift move, she speared the opposite end into the middle of the door. She then gave the rod a good twist. A low, hallowing sound issued from the gate as its large doors began to slowly creak open. A warm, bright light spilled instantly through the crack. She raised Duo's hand and covered his eyes, one hand still firmly grasping her scythe. With a decisive twist, she turned and pulled it out just as it faded back into nothingness.

"That's it." said Heero. "Let's go."

"Wait!" called Wufei. "How do we know she isn't leading us into some kind of trap?"

Heero turned and stared at Wufei blankly. "Wufei, there isn't time for this. What kind of -"

"He is stalling." replied Death matter-of-factly, eyeing the hunter. She cocked her head to the side. "Thou hast fooled thine friend, but not I." were her smiling, low words.

"What?" was Wufei's automatic response of confusion.

"Wufei?" Heero said in a dangerous tone.

Death crinkled her nose at him, her violet eyes lowering hatefully. "I smellth the scent of betrayal on thee. Thou very breath reeks of it. Tell me, child. What fleeting promise did he make thee? What pleasure is worth thou killing thine own kind?"

"Don't patronize me!" the hunter spat, now on full-defense. "You are no different than I am, _angel. _I'm doing this to get my soulmate back." His eyes slid sideways at Heero. "It's the only way he said he'd give her back."

Heero shook his head in disbelief. "Wufei, what did you do? _Why?_"

"Because he is a fool." Shinigami said, shaking her head sadly. "Poor, piteous human. The path thou hast chosen leadth to nowhere. Taking the soul of another is a crime against God, whether she wanted to or not, your soulmate committed that crime."

"Shut your mouth!" he yelled, losing his composure. "All of this is your fault! If you hadn't decided to bring humanity into your own personal vendetta against those _angels, _then vampires wouldn't exist! She was a good person...She didn't deserve to become one of them. You did that to her!"

"No." she corrected hatefully, her angry violet eyes rising to meet his. "The Lord of Hell did that to her. He is the one that infected humanity, not I. Do not direct thine hatred at me, save it for the demon you've chosen to be your savior." A wave of magic pulsed from Duo, sending the other hunter flying backwards, landing flat on his butt. She turned and grabbed Heero. Scrambling to his feet, Wufei could not hope to reach them as covered the scribe from view, pulling him through the arch and shutting the doors behind them, leaving the hunter alone and in darkness.

Wufei ran forward and pressed his palms against the sealed door, bowing his head in defeat, a single tear falling down his cheek. "Meilan," he said quietly, "I..am..sorry..."

"Chang Wufei," came a cold, deep voice. "How thou hast disappointed me..."

,.•´¯•.¸

Heero pulled himself away from her and looked blankly at the large white doors. They had escaped, but barely.

"I should have killed him." she whispered, raising a hand and pressing it flat against the door. "Traitorous scum -"

Heero looked at her, surprised. "You didn't kill him? Why?"

Why indeed. She seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, eyes drifting absently across the gate. She turned and faced Heero. "I know not..." she said.

"It doesn't matter." Heero said immediately. "What awaits him now is a fate worse than death."

She smiled at the irony of his words. "I know why thou art here. And thou must know why I let thee come. Give me what I want first..." Her voice was low and dangerous, raising the hairs on Heero's neck.

He sighed and bowed his head. "I'm sorry." he said softly.

Death looked at him curiously. "For what, child?"

"For this."

Heero quickly raised his hand, a long jet of magic shooting from his palm and hitting her square in the chest. She fell to the ground backwards. All around her the brightness of the room was fading. Softly, she could hear Heero speak again, only his voice seemed far away.

"First Duo," he said, "then you."

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Well, you know you don't have to wait to see what happens next, just click the little arrow button. Away you go...


	13. Bound

**Author's Note:** This chapter contains a lemon. I'm not entirely sure on the explicitness I'm allowed to write on this site (I think I've read worse), so I'm really hoping this doesn't get pulled. I really can't have my story without this chapter and the one that follows it. After almost two years, I think I can finally see the end. Thank you everyone who has supported my story. It means a great deal to me.

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Bound_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Duo turned over on the plush matress. He could stay like this forever. For the first time in weeks he finally felt at peace. Everything here was perfect. He snuggled his head further into the soft pillow and inhaled deeply, a small smile spreading across his lips.

Across the bed lay another, a warm presence next to his skin, soft and inviting. Duo lazily draped his arm around the other's body and pulled himself closer. His bedmate immediately responded, in turn sliding fingers into his unbound hair. Duo breathed a quiet sigh of contentment and relaxed further into the mattress. He ran his hand upward across the soft curve of a hip, warm skin sliding between his parted fingers. He pressed his body closer, hugging gently. Sliding his hand upward, he noticed something wrong. He opened his eyes with a start.

Death was staring back at him, a curious smile across her curved lips.

"You?! - What the hell?!" Duo practically screamed, pushing himself away. He sat up in a frantic jerk, looking madly around at the bright white surroundings. He couldn't make out any walls, only what seemed like miles of open space. He stared back at Death in confusion. "How did you - Where are we?" he asked accusingly.

"Our vessel's unconsciousness." she easily replied, sitting up and stretching out the large, black, feathery wings that marked her back. He didn't like how she said _"our"_. It was his body as far as he was concerned, not hers. Duo's eyes traveled down her uncovered back. She was naked. And with a panicked jolt, Duo realized he was too. Cheeks burning with embarrassment he tugged the covers up around his chest, pulling loose the bottom and revealing their feet. "Why - Why am I naked - Why are _you_ naked?!" he studdered almost incoherently.

"Thine eyes bare witness to thine own soul, not thine vessel. Clothes hold no value to it." she replied sweetly. Averting her eyes, Duo looked at the foot of the bed, mind reeling with unpleasant alternatives, when he noticed something else quite disturbing - their feet were bound together by thick cuffs on either side of an equally thick chain. Duo's eyes widened.

"Why are we chained together!" he demanded.

She turned her head and looked at their bindings. "Our souls shareth a vessel. We art bound to it, and in turn, each other. What thou sees is the vessel's interpretation of this truth."

Hearing this explanation, Duo didn't feel much better, but still loosened the tight grip he had on the covers. He once again looked around at the bright nothingness that surrounded them. Everything, including the bed and its sheets was completely white. "Why are we here?" he asked her in a lighter tone.

"Thine soulmate brought us here." he said airily, laying back down, crossing her arms behind her head and staring half-lidded up at the "ceiling".

"Why?" Duo pressed, feeling less than at ease. Still there was something about this place, some underlining calm that told him that here, he was safe - here, she could not harm him - or Heero.

Shinigami waved her hand. "I suspect he shall move to sever our conscious link, undoubtably with the same magic he has long since performed on himself and mine soulmate."

"What?" Duo laid back down and faced her, proping his head up with one hand. "What does that mean 'sever'? What will happen to you?" Duo asked, a little surprised at how concerned he was suddenly feeling for her being.

"It means thou shalt no longer be prevy to speak with me. Our souls will remain here, but will be cut off from one another." she stated dryly. Duo could not tell whether this fact upset her or not. She didn't really seem to care either way.

"Oh." said Duo softly, giving her an uneasy look. An awkward silence stretched between them. Only the sound of their unmatched breathing could be heard.

"Surely, thou art not disappointed?" she mused. Sliding slightly closer to him, she mockingly mirrored his position.

It was in that moment that Duo seemed to realize how alike they really looked. There were only a couple of passing differences. Her lips were slightly fuller than his and her eyes were a vivid violet, unlike his which were more violet-blue, her hair was a couple of shades brighter than his, but the same length, other than that - Duo's eyes traveled cautiously downward to her chest. She had rather small breasts, but they were feminine none the less. At that moment Duo had the strongest urge to reach out and touch her. He instantly pushed the thought roughly away. A little confused, he forced himself to look away.

_Why_ had he thought that? What was _wrong_ with him?

"Disappointed? Er...No. Just, well -" he said, flustered.

Duo tensed up as she reached out unexpectedly and touched him. She slid her arm across the mattress and brushed a stray hair out of his face. She brushed her fingers down his cheek, the edge of his lips, down his chin and the side of his throat. Her eyes followed the trail of her hand as she looked longingly at it. Duo stared at her, frozen. His face rapidly growing hot as her fingertips traveled downward still. She stopped at his hip, pulling herself flush against him. Duo found himself pressing into her, bringing their faces close together. He closed his eyes, while around them, the room grew cold.

She raised a single wing and wrapped it around them. Duo's eyes shot open as the feathery appendage brushed against his naked backside. "It's okay." she whispered softly, her lips brushing against his.

Duo shook his head, unable to place the strange feeling deep inside of him. What was it? What had she done to him?

Duo wrapped his arm around her and buried his face against her throat, not wanting to leave her. But why? Why did he feel this way?

Duo pulled away from her and looked between them with wide eyes. He could feel it before he could see it, something cold and dark pulling them apart. Like little shards of broken glass falling impossibly back into place, a wall began to form between them. It happened so fast and in a instant Death was now on the opposite side of what looked like a giant piece of tinted glass. He could barely see her. Duo tried to move, but something had a hold of his foot. He looked down. Their legs were still shackled together, the chain between them caught within the wall.

Through the dark glass, he could see her lips moving, but he could no longer hear her. Sadly, Duo pressed his palm against the unmoving wall, an unexplainable deep feeling of loss settling within him.

Their link had been severed.

,.•´¯•.¸

Heero bent over Duo's sleeping form, watching the subtle rise and fall of his chest. He had a fever. Beads of perspiration collected on his forehead, dampening his bangs. It was to be expected. Heero reached out and brushed them back. He didn't know whether or not it worked. All he could do now was wait. He didn't know how long it would take. _'Perhaps,'_ he thought, _'I should try and wake him instead.'_ Heero immediately shook his head, dismissing the idea. _'Time has no meaning here. It's just us. No one and nothing else...'_

He slowly walked around to the other side of the bed, removing his dirty cloak and shirt, discarding them on the floor. Throughly exhausted, he slipped under the covers next to Duo.

,.•´¯•.¸

Duo's blue-violet eyes shot open. He took several shaky deep breaths. All he could see was white. He ran a hand across the sweat dampened brow, covering his eyes. He felt very disoriented. For several long moments, he stared straight above, trying to piece together the things around him. Slowly, he shifted his eyes to the side. The wall between him and Death was gone. He moved his leg to tug on the chain between them, only to realize it was no longer there. He turned to face her, only it wasn't her at all. It was Heero.

He was deep asleep, his lips slightly parted and his hair in a disheaved mess. Duo smiled at the sight of him and slowly turned to face him. Duo reached out and touched him on the cheek.

Heero only stirred. "Ummm..Duo..." he moaned, leaning into the touch.

Duo chuckled and grabbed his shoulder instead. "Hey..." he said quietly. "Heero? Heero wake up..."

Heero's deep blue eyes fluttered open lethargically. He saw Duo and immediately sat up.

"You're awake." he said.

"Noticed that did you?" Duo teased.

"Are you okay?" he asked, giving him a quick look over.

"Yeah, I guess. A little dizzy is all..." Duo trailed off, rubbing his hand into his face.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before hand, there wasn't time. What you are feeling is the side effect from the magic I used on you."

"It's okay. She told me that you would. So, how can we tell if it worked?"

"If you know then it must have worked. Can you hear her any more?"

Duo slid his hand off his face and stared blankly at the white sheets.

_'Shinigami?' _

Silence.

_'Can you hear me?' _

Nothing.

"No. She's gone." he said finally, the odd feeling of emptiness slowly returning, settling uncomfortably in his heart.

"That's good."

"Heero?" Duo asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

"I think something is still wrong with me." he said uncertainly.

"What do you mean?"

"I - I dunno. It's weird. It's almost like - like I _miss_ her." He turned and looked at Heero. "What would make me feel that way?"

Heero gave him a small, sympathetic smile. "I'm not surprised that you feel that way. That's exactly how I felt when I severed the link with her soulmate. You two share a strong connection, just like I do with her soulmate. When multiple souls share a body, they feel a strong connection for one another, much like soulmates themselves.

_'Like soulmates themselves...'_

Duo gave a sigh of relief. "Why didn't I feel that way before?"

"Because you two were together before, even before her soul was awoken. Now that you are apart, you feel as though you are in a state of unbound."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "A state of unbound?"

"It's a term for soulmates who aren't..." he searched for the right word, "connected."

"Aren't _connected_? Well, what does_ that_ mean?"

Heero felt a light blush coming on his cheeks. He forgot how little Duo knew about soulmates. All this information to Heero was common knowledge. He felt a little weird having to explain it to him. "It means they haven't had sex." he explained softly.

"Oh." Duo said, lips in a small "o" shape. "So that's what you were talking about when you said that soulmates had to be bonded to enter Heaven. I thought they only had to meet each other."

"It's a common mistake."

An uncomfortable silence spread between them, ending with Duo realizing just why Heero had brought him here. They had to have sex. They need to bond before anything else bad could happen. Duo blushed as a question formed in his head. "Have_ you_ ever had sex?" he asked.

He turned and looked carefully at Heero.

_'Oh man. He looks embarrassed. **Really** embarrassed. Maybe I shouldn't have -'_

"I'm sorry." Duo said quickly, averting his eyes, hoping he hadn't caused _too much_ damage. "I - I shouldn't have ask you that..."

"No, I haven't." he answered, much to Duo's surprise. Heero shifted in his spot, not looking at him. "I've been waiting for _you_."

Duo stared nervously at the covers. He knew exactly where this was going. His heart did a little jerk, a small smile spreading across his lips. "Neither have I." he admitted, his face now a pleasant shade of pink. "I guess I've been waiting for you too."

Heero looked at Duo, his blue eyes filling with great emotion. He didn't want to wait any longer. It was unbearable. His eyes traveled over every inch of Duo's skin. He wanted to touch him, taste him...

Duo turned and faced him.

"We don't have to wait any longer." he said in a husky voice, reaching out and lowering his lips to Duo's.

The feeling of emptiness melted away as Duo wrapped his arms possessively around Heero's waist. He had dreamt of a moment like this for how long?

Forever.

Their lips softly crushed against each other as both boy's hands began exploring each other's eager, untouched bodies. Duo gasped as Heero slid his leg across his body and pinned him to the bed, burying his hand into his unbound hair and deepening their kiss. Heero ground his hips into Duo's, their pants unfairly trapping their rapidly hardening erections.

Unable to contain himself, Duo let out a moan of frustration. At that moment, Heero took the opportunity to slid his tongue into Duo's parted mouth, exploring every inch of the moist cavern. It felt so satisfying to be able to kiss him like this, with no worries, no boundaries and absolutely nothing to stop them. Heero broke away, fanning his nervous hands across Duo's chest burying his nose behind his ear, inhaling the smell of his soft, chestnut hair.

_'Smells like Heaven.'_

Heero slowly, more needingly, ground his hips into the body beneath him, trying desperately to convey the emotions coursing hotly through his veins, emotions he didn't think Duo, who hadn't known soulmates even existed until recently, could possibly understand, a powerful emotion licking his body like hot flame, beyond desire and lust, an all-consuming _need_ to be joined to him.

But Duo understood it perfectly. It was the same way he felt. The need to bond was the purest of instincts, also the strongest, overpowering and confusing. What were these emotions? How to express all of them?

He reached for Heero's face and dug his fingers into his messy chocolate brown hair, pressing his face closer to his neck. Heero ran his tongue across Duo's neck in a moist line, savoring the taste of his sweet sweaty skin. Duo let out a pleasurable moan as Heero lightly scrapped his teeth across him, an insatiable urge entering his mind.

"Mark me." he said, his voice low and rough.

Heero pulled away and looked at him curiously. "What?"

"I said mark me."

Heero could not look away. His chest fluttered strangely. "Do you understand what you are asking me to do?"

"Yes." he breathed.

There was a hungry look in Duo's blue-violet eyes as they searched Heero's deep blue ones. Marking each other increased the intensity of the bond between soulmates. Heero didn't think Duo could possibly know this, but he was more than willing to oblige. With a slow, seductive smile, he lowered his face back to Duo's neck. Duo tensed up beneath him as Heero parted his lips and pressed the front of his teeth against Duo's pale flawless skin. He slid his hand across his soulmate's bare chest. He could feel Duo's heart beating fast, a whirl of emotion threatening to burst.

"It's okay. Relax, Duo." Heero whispered, his breath soft against the warm skin beneath.

Relax?

How?.

Thousands of sensations were assaulting his senses. Yet, when Heero slid his other hand into Duo's hair and gently tilted his head to the side, he couldn't help but melt into the touch. The low hum of his voice and gentle touch of his hands, placed an immediate feeling of calm over Duo. His soul's need to bond, overpowering his feelings of uncertainty. Heero traced his tongue around a soft spot of skin between Duo's neck and shoulder, unfurled his fingers from Duo's hair and letting his other hand fall to the same spot on the other side. With a gentle squeeze, he warned him what he was about to do. Heero closed his lips across his skin and carefully bit down.

Duo closed his eyes, his lips eliciting a quiet moan, a half- gasp mixed with both pain and pleasure.

"Oh, Heero..."

Teeth breaking the skin, Heero held onto him tightly, massaging his shoulder with one hand and pulling him closer with the other. Tasting the blood flowing slowly from the mark, Heero gently pulled back, running his tongue across the ringed impression of teeth. It was in that moment, he couldn't help but think about vampires. It was after all, the cruel reason Death made them to have to bite to get the blood -to mock them. They could mark a soul all they wanted, even their soulmate's, but they would never go back, never.

_'It doesn't matter.' _Heero thought, planting a trail of feather-light kisses around the marked area._ 'All that is about to change.' _

Duo opened his eyes, something Death had once said to him, suddenly ringing unpleasantly in his ears.

**_'His vessel I hath marked.'_**

"Heero..." Duo said, barely above a whisper.

Registering the sudden uncertainty in his soulmate's voice, Heero leaned back, giving him a worried look. What was wrong? Did he change his mind about this? Please, no...

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"Where did Death mark you?"

A hurt expression crossed his face. "How do you know that?" he asked.

Perhaps he shouldn't have asked, but it was too late to take it back now. "When she first spoke to me, she told me she marked you, that you were hers."

"She marked her soulmate, not me." Heero said somewhat bitterly. "The mark you speak of is on my shoulder. Remember that night by the lake? The one you asked about?" Duo gave a short nod and Heero continued. "I was born with it, a triangle outline written in angelic script. It connects her to him, a map if you will, but as it turns out she never needed it. I found you first." He leaned over Duo. Their eyes locked. "Now where were we?" he mused

"Right here." Duo whispered.

Duo curled his fingers into Heero's hair and pulled him down slowly, pressing their lips firmly together. Their kiss was swift and hungry, sending a sweet ache down the length of both of their bodies, a seal of fate. There would be no more questions, no more waiting. Everything across their entire lives had lead them here, together, to this very moment.

Destiny.

Their heated exchange of tongues was broken when Heero pulled back, out of breath. He gave Duo a warm, sultry smile and descended his head downward, planting a trail of hot kisses across his firm, muscle-toned chest. Years of training gave Duo's body a perfect sculpture of tight lean muscle that Heero found to be the most beautiful site he'd ever seen. Moving ever lower, Heero could feel Duo's hard erection pushing into his stomach as he grazed he teeth across a pale nipple, lightly nipping it and caressing it smoothly with his tongue.

Duo arched back, a slight whimper of surprise escaping his parted lips. He reached out for Heero, digging his fingers into his soulmate's shoulders. Heero smiled at the pleasure he was giving the other boy, running his hand down Duo's side, his waist, the waistband of his pants. Duo's heart pounded in his chest, his brain a cloud of bliss under Heero's loving administrations.

Heero's hand slid lowly across his front, the sound of Duo's zipper added to sounds of quiet moans and heavy breathing currently filling the room. Sliding completely down to Duo's feet, Heero tugged on either side of the boy's pants, pulling them towards him. Duo groaned at the loss of contact from Heero's mouth, feeling he could now open his eyes again. He looked down watching as Heero discarded him of his pants, carelessly tossed them to the side.

There was an almost predatory gleam of possessiveness in his eyes now, bright like blue fire. Heero placed his knee between Duo's legs, keeping his gaze fixed with Duo's. It was a hungry look that sent Duo's heart racing again. Stopping midway, Heero slipped a finger around Duo's one remaining garment. Leaning down slowly, he brushed his lips across his soulmates cloth-covered shaft. Duo reached out on their side of himself and grabbed a fist full of covers, buckling his hip upward. He closed his eyes. It was too much.

"Heero...please.." he begged, his voice thick.

"Mmmm..." Heero replied lowly, parting his lips further, teasingly.

Duo shuddered and Heero slipped another finger under the other side of his boxers and gave them a good tug. Duo raised his behind as Heero pulled downward, releasing his throbbing erection. Heero slid off the bed, eyeing Duo with a feeling of immense satisfaction. There, Duo laid, glistening in sweat, panting, waiting to be taken. Heero's own erection pushed within it's cloth confines as he slowly undid his pants, sliding them to the floor, not taken his eyes off the pale vision in front of him.

Duo trembled with anticipation. He had never felt so vulnerable in his entire life. He felt the depression of the mattress on his side and Heero's warm hands were on him once again, exploring every inch of him. The feeling of need turning into something far more desperate. Duo opened his eyes, reaching out for Heero, kissing him hotly on the mouth, his tongue desperate to slate this terrible feeling burning inside of him. He ran his hands down Heero's side, gripping his ass and pulling his hips downward.

Heero knew exactly what he wanted and he planned on giving it to him. But not yet...

First, he wanted to taste him.

He reached back and wrapped his fingers around Duo's wrists, prying off his hands and pinning them above his head in a low chuckle, his soon to be lover's erection pressed hard against him. He wanted to savor this as long as he could, commit every inch of him to memory.

Duo felt Heero's grip on his loosen somewhat as he removed one hand off his captured wrists, still holding him with the other. He closed his eyes as Heero's hand traveled downward, ghosting across his skin until it reached what Duo wanted touched the most. Heero's warm fingers slowly, almost painfully so, wrapped around him. Duo lightly bit his lip, wanting to thrust upward, but was being prevented from doing so by the firm body held against him.

"Open your eyes, Duo." Heero commanded.

With a shaky breath, Duo obeyed.

"Tell me this is what you want." Heero's voice was low and rough.

"I want you." Duo said thickly, "More than anything."

Heero bent forward, releasing Duo's wrist and claiming his mouth against his own. He dug his fingers around the back of Duo's neck, pulling him forward, while his other hand began stroking him, full and firm. Duo slipped one hand into Heero's sticky, sweat-dampened hair, the other one claimed his shoulder, giving him a hard squeeze, begging him not to stop. Heero's touch was unlike anything he had ever done to himself. It didn't even compare. Heated flushed inside him, setting his nerves on fire.

Heero moaned into Duo's mouth, loving the feel of his velvety skin sliding between his fingers. But it wasn't enough. He wanted more. Heero pulled away, sliding down the eager length of Duo's body as his soulmate gave a pleasurable shudder. He released his hold on Duo and lowered his head. He could feel the heat coming off of Duo. It was intense.

_'Taste him.' _his mind screamed. And Heero did.

He parted his lips, running his tongue across them, then descended them around the length of waiting flesh. Duo's eyes shot open. The feeling of Heero's hot mouth around him was almost all he could handle. He dug his hand harder into Heero's hair, guiding him slowly back up and, then down again. Heero slid his tongue up and down the shaft, pausing at the head to taste the escaping essence.

"Oh, God...Heero.." Duo gasped, buckling him hips upward, needing to feel Heero's mouth completely around him once more.

Heero wrapped his fingers around the bottom of Duo's shaft, the part he couldn't fit in his mouth and began a hungry pattern of sucking and stroking. While beneath him, Duo writhed in pleasure, gasping his name in a half-curse, half-plea, every inch of his body begging for release.

It happened so quick. Without warning Duo grabbed the other side of Heero's head and grew rigid as a board. With one final, desperate thrust he lifted his back off the bed and spilled into Heero's mouth. His eyes shot open, riding the feeling out in quiet moans and shakes. Satisfied, he weakly slid his hands out of Heero's hair and collapsed on the bed. He hands shook, his thighs jerked. And it was the most amazing thing he had ever felt before in his entire life.

There was a moment of silence after that, and when he could finally open his eyes again, Duo looked down at Heero. He looked pleased with himself, an almost mischevious look on his curved, kissable lips. Duo tried to speak, to tell Heero how amazing it was, how great, but all he could do was smile.

Heero pulled himself upward, giving a small chuckle and lightly this time, pressed his lips against Duo's. Duo immediately noticed the difference in how Heero tasted. He didn't taste like Heero anymore, he tasted like him. But Duo didn't care, he wanted it to go on like this forever. Heero pressed his body against Duo's, sinking into his warm embrace.

"Duo?"

Duo opened his eyes and looked at Heero. "Yeah?" he breathed.

"I love you."

Duo looked at him quietly for a moment and then his lips curved into a happy smile. "I love you, too."

Heero smiled back, pressing his forehead against Duo's. "Are you ready?" he asked, looking deep into his eyes.

Duo answered by kissing Heero fast and hungrily on the lips, pouring everything he felt for him - desire, longing, love - into that one kiss. Mind blank, blood rushing, Duo had to keep reminding himself that this was not a dream. It was really happening. They were about to do it, make love, become one, finally be reunited.

Duo bent his knees and spread his legs, allowing Heero to move into position. Duo watched as Heero pulled slightly back and lowered his hand back on Duo's hardness. He wrapped two fingers around the base and slid them upward slowly. It was only one stroke. Duo opened his eyes, not fully understanding until suddenly a slick finger entered him. Duo felt his muscles clench, letting out a soft whimper of pain.

"Shhh...It's okay. It won't hurt for long."

Leaning back into the mattress, he tried not to focus on the weird sensation within him. Duo barely had time to consider his words before Heero slid in another finger. Duo squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the burning sensation from his mind. It wasn't entirely unbearable, but he didn't think he could call it pleasurable either.

Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as Heero began scissoring his fingers inside him, pressing them in deeper and harder. Just when Duo could finally feel something a nicer than pain, Heero withdrew his fingers completely. Then he felt Heero nuzzle at his entrance. Duo opened his eyes.

It was a moment that seemed to last an eternity.

Both boys held their breath, staring into each others eyes. And then Heero gently, slowly entered him. Duo felt tears welling up in his eyes once more as his body was stretched even further.

Heero's reassuring voice echoed distantly in his head,_ 'It won't hurt for long.'_

Duo shifted beneath Heero, letting out a shaky breath until Heero was finally in completely.

Heero groaned and moved his hand to Duo's hip, gently squeezing it. The feeling of being buried within Duo, his soulmate, was indescribable, this exquisite heat, so tight, so warm...

He took a moment to admire the sight of Duo beneath him, knees bent, skin flushed.

_'I've finally claimed him.' _

"Y- You okay...?" Heero managed to ask him.

"It's- It's - " Duo tried, grabbing Heero's hand. "Just move okay?"

Heero slowly pulled out a little and slowly slid back in. It took enormous restraint not to just start pounding into the mattress right then and there, that deep urge to go deeper, further...

He watched Duo bit his lip, digging his hands into the sheets. He slowly repeated the action, working up to a faster tempo, while beneath him his soulmate still clung desperately to the sheets as waves of pleasure finally began to wash over him. The sight of him was more than Heero could take. He began thrusting harder, this time at a deeper angle. Duo's eyes shot open.

His world started spinning.

"Heero! What was - Oh!" Duo screamed, not out of pain, but sheer pleasure. The way he said his name, so hungrily, was enough to make Heero want to spill himself right then and there. He wanted to hear it again.

Heero slid his hand from Duo's hip to his arousal, slipping his fingers around it, watching his soulmate's face carefully. His toned chest rose and fell in heavy, quickened breaths. Heero gave him a firm stroke and pushed back in, repeating the cycle several more times before he aimed lower, searching once more for that spot. And found it he did.

Duo arched his hips off the mattress, letting out a deep moan, "Oh - God!"

Faster and faster, Heero went, squeezing Duo's ass and lifting him off the mattress, the feeling continuing to build within it, until it threatened to burst. Duo panted and moaned, wrenching his hands from the covers and burying them into his own hair. He couldn't hold out any longer, with a fierce, desperate cry he grew rigid once more and spilled himself across Heero's stomach and the sheets.

Heero released him and leaned forward, burying his head between the groove of his neck and shoulder. Duo wrapped his arms around him, fingernails digging into his back, their flushed skin sliding together in a blissful dance. Heero pressed his flushed cheek to the mark he gave him, feeling himself coming dangerously close to the edge.

He curved one hand across the back of Duo's neck, feeling his insides build into an unbearable pinch. With one last, deep thrust he arched against his soulmate and came deep inside him. Heero shook with exertion, trembling from the sweet release.

It was over.

Heero shifted to the side, sliding out of Duo, bowing his sweaty head against his chest. He clung desperately onto Duo in a half-hug half-collapse. Duo wriggled him to the side, facing him. He gently blew into his soulmate's hot hair to cool him down. Heero smiled in response and lazily draped his arm across Duo's waist.

"Heero?"

Heero's eyelashes fluttered open, coming to stare into Duo's pretty violet orbs. "Hmmm?"

"What's gonna happen now?" Duo asked in a curious way.

"Don't worry about it. We'll worry about that tomorrow. For now, get some sleep."

Duo gave him a small smile. "Okay." he said.

Both of them closed their eyes. As Duo slid off to a pleasant sleep, Heero laid listening to his shallow breaths, praying that some how, some way, tomorrow would never come.

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Sadly enough, I started writing this chapter 2 days ago and finished in like record time (why is it easier for me to write this kind of stuff?). Heero has a good reason to dread tomorrow, but you won't find out about it til next time. I love you fans!

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	14. Sacrifice interlude

**Author's Note:** This is second point of view from Heero - a little interlude between last chapter and the final chapter. Yes, I said _final_ chapter. I have finally decided on an ending. After 3 years of writing of this fic, it will finally come to an end. Oh, there will be an epilouge of course - you have to know what happens after everything is said and done - right? The epilogue is, I'm happy to say, going to probably be my favorite part of this entire fic, it was one of the first things I thought of, long ago, when my brain first started contemplating this story. Just so you know, I've started the final chapter, but don't expect it so soon. It will be extremely long, probably the longest chapter of this entire fic. Then, after I write the epilogue I plan on going back and giving all the chapters a good polishing (eliminated some plot lines I find unimportant - some details that no longer belong). I might do a little more fan art, I haven't decided. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story and the 80+ people who faithfully get an alert every time I update. You all are great.

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Sacrifice_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_-Heero Yuy's Point of View-_

You knew it would come to this. And how could you not?

You hold fast as time slowly slips through your fingers, knowing deep inside there is nothing you can do. You made your decision long ago, that selfless choice between duty and happiness. You were never meant to claim the other.

Even with him wrapped comfortably in your arms, the sweetness of sleep can not find you. Your thoughts lay haunted with the fear and uncertainty of your own selfish doubt.

How do you tell him the truth when it tears you apart too badly to form words?

Before you meet him you only knew what you had to do. Now, you lay awake watching as the simplicity of it all unravels before your very eyes, inside your very heart, thread by thread.

How did this happen?

Perhaps it was the way he looked at you, with those fierce, shining eyes - eyes that didn't yet know how to love, only how to hate, everything and everyone for _everything_ that has gone wrong in life - the same sad reflection mirrored in your own eyes, a pain you know too well.

Now, all the years that have gone by seem like nothing more than a barren dream, filled with forgotten memories of a life that wasn't yours. You lived to full fill your duty to God - or rather _his_ duty to God. Yeah,_ him _- the source of all your misery. You went through life, living in the shadow of the soul unwilling bound to your own. All of it had been for him, never for you - not you.

How can you go back? To take away this feeling?

You can't. Because going back would mean pretending it doesn't matter. It does matter. It's the only thing that matters - what every living soul fights for.

_Duo_...

You have fought this battle for so long now, knowing its tragic and bitter end - your soul was never among those you could save, and neither was his. Inside you are breaking - torn between your duty to others and your duty to yourself, your duty to your soulmate.

Are you not too suppose to have what's yours?

Was it so wrong to want this one moment? To have, to hold, before it could be torn away from you?

You lay awake struggling to understand yourself and the feeling that's been kept buried deep within your heart for so long - too long. You reach for him and pull his slumbering body against your own. He doesn't stir - blanketed in the comfort of you presence - knowing not your inner torment - what's killing you inside.

All the while time grows short - your every breath pulling you further away from him - the inevitable curse between you.

There's no escaping your fate. You know what you must do. The time to act is upon you - whether you wish it or not.

Outside this gilded cage, the western sun dies along it faithful line, bringing with it your troubled slumber. It is here Death awaits you.

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Short and sweet. See you at the end.

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	15. Death and Destiny

_Author's Note:_ Here it is everyone - the final chapter! CHA! After 3 long years of work! I found it so hard to find time to finish this and I know it's been months since my last update... So, for that I'm sorry. I've integrated a song into the final chapter by Within Temptation - "What Have You Done". Sadly, just like the characters in this fic, I do not own it, but my brother said it would make an excellent theme for the end. So, if you don't have it and would like it, email me and I would be glad to give it to you. Well, I do think that I've kept you all waiting long enough. What fate awaits our two heroes? Everything has led to this...

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸ _Death and Destiny_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

The pale room was quiet and calm; within its blank walls, away from the rest of the world, one of its occupants stirred into consciousness, awakened from a brief and restless slumber. Whether it was day or night, he could not know. The room was the same dead, uncaring white that it was when Heero fell into his uneasy sleep a little less than a few hours ago. Beside him, his soulmate laid curled up, a peaceful expression on his unknowing face. Heero reached over and slipped his fingers into his soft hair, a sad smile painfully seizing his lips.

_'How will you understand?'_

With a heavy heart, Heero watched Duo sleep, struggling internally with what he was about to go through with, wishing that, some how, some way, there was some other choice. But there was no other choice. He was a prisoner, bound by the shackles of sacrifice. What if Duo wouldn't agree to it? Then what? Would he have to force him - be forced to commit the highest cardinal sin? Then everything he did would have been for nothing. The more he thought about it, the more he cursed himself for his own selfishness. He didn't want to hurt Duo, but he knew there was no other choice. No matter how much it hurt, he had to try.

Was he wrong? Should he had never have let this happen? Should he had never even tried? It didn't matter now. They were meaningless questions with meaningless answers. They didn't change what had to be done, nor did they change the fact that time had run out. It had ran out and there was no going back.

Was he really so twisted? Even though it made everything that much harder, he knew he wouldn't have taken it back. Somewhere deep inside, he wanted himself to suffer for what he was about to do, a wish that was a double-edge knife. Everything he did, everything that followed, affected Duo as much as it affected himself. It wasn't fair. What had to be done wasn't a decision for them to make together - no, Heero had decided this long ago for them both. That's why he should be the one to suffer this pain, not his soulmate. Heero closed his eyes and slid closer to Duo, pulling him close and burying his face in the smooth crevice of his neck.

The hunter smiled and mused, leaning his head against him, his eyelashes fluttering open.

"Mmmm. Heero..." Duo lifted his sleepy arm and slid it around his soulmate. Hating himself, Heero couldn't hold back the quiet sob that escaped from his lips as his throat contracted with emotion. Duo's eyes shot wide open. Heero Yuy...crying? He laid still, thinking he may have imagined it. After all, Heero Yuy didn't cry. But another muffled sob from the lips against his neck mercilessly proved him wrong.

"Heero?" he said, concerned echoed in his sleepy voice, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Heero wouldn't answer. He only tightened his grip on his lover.

Duo shifted his eyes downward, trying to see if he was hurt in anyway. "Heero...what is it?"

Heero shook his head slowly side to side, burying his face deeper against Duo's neck. Duo shifted his eyes around the room from his horizontal position, trying to find some clue as to why Heero was upset. He tried to pull away to get a look at him, but Heero wouldn't let him. He clung desperately to his side, refusing to let go.

"Heero, you're scaring me. What happened? Talk to me."

No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he needed to, Heero's voice just wouldn't work. Useless words lay dead in his throat. A worry-filled sort of panic settled into Duo's heart. Heero's silence was ten times as frightening as any explanation to be given.

"Heero!"

"Duo! Please-" he finally managed, "Just let me hold you - one last time."

,.•´¯•.¸

Would you mind if I hurt you?  
Understand that I need to?  
Wish that I had other choices  
than to hurt the one I love...

What have you done now?

¯•.,,.•´¯

Duo's eyes widened in confusion. "One last time? What -" He sat up and gently wrenched Heero away. "Heero, what are you talking about?"

Heero forced himself into a sitting position, his bangs covering his face. He was too ashamed to look Duo in the face. "I should have told you before. I never wanted to hurt you..." he muttered, regaining control of his broken voice. His words sounded empty.

Duo blinked back tears of confusion and tried to force his own voice steady. How did the most perfect moment in his entire life suddenly fall apart? "Hurt me? Heero, you're not making any sense!" He reached over and grabbed Heero's hand, lacing his fingers into Heero's trembling ones.

Heero looked up into his eyes, shining with their unshed tears. "You know what we have to do, don't you?"

Duo only looked at him imploringly. No words came.

"The others must be bonded." Heero said.

Some of the confusion left Duo's face as he took in Heero's explanation. _The others must be bonded_. They were going to have to let their other halves take over. For a moment Duo flashed back to the time before when Death took him over and tried to seduce Heero. Duo had watched as his hands touched Heero, but did not feel him, a disturbing sensation he had no desire to repeat.

"And there's no way to know what will happen to us when they do." Heero explained bitterly, a comforting notion that wasn't entirely true. Before he left to join the vampires, his teacher told him what he believed would happen, but Heero had never been willing to accept it as a possibility. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget those parting words. They often times haunted him in his dreams.

,.•´¯•.¸

_"I have something important to tell you before you go. Unfortunately, this untimely event has greatly accelerated both the time and manner in which I have to give you this information. I had expected to tell you this after you had finished your other training, but as the case may be, that is no longer an option. But first, are you packed?"  
_

_"Hai."_

_"This means everything, __Heero__. No matter what, you must make __Trieze__ trust you. He doesn't know the full extent of your power, so he believes you can help him. His hope mustn't die. It could mean greater trouble for you in the grand scheme of things.__ Despite what others think, he isn't without compassion for humans. He is much like __Shinigami__, more so than he would ever admit. I hear he is looking for his __soulmate__ - unknowingly using her same means to, hopefully, one day, re-enter Heaven."_

_"It doesn't matter. It'll fail - it always fails."_

_"He doesn't know that, but he will soon enough. My sources say he's had his soul in his possession for the past couple of years. If I know him, he'll test your abilities on another before he uses them on his own. When he realizes you can not do what he wants, he'll have no use for you. You must convince him otherwise. Immediately pledge your undying loyalty to helping him. Do whatever it takes to keep your life."_

_"What life would I have left? At the very least they'll turn me into a vampire. I don't have to do this. I can leave tonight - find her on my own. I don't need __Trieze__ or anybody else -"_

_"Then you should have been more careful with you__r__ power! I warned you! I warned you of the risk! But you let your emotions get the better of you! __You should know better than anyone, g__iving someone back the__ir__ soul isn't saving them. __And now, b__ecause of that one girl, he knows you exist. That's why you must go to him. Otherwise, it will only be a matter of time before he comes looking for you. Running now will do you no good. __There's no place __in this world __you can hide where he won't find you. __Your only option __now is to serve beside him, which also means serving next to the vampire__s__. W__hether they spare your body of the curse or not makes no difference. Once you find her it won't matter. Have patience boy, sooner or later they will lead you to her."_

_"They can't help me. __I'm the only one that can find her..."_

_"All the same, you must be careful, __Heero__. He may already suspect what you are. He understands the duality in __soulmates__ better than anyone. Naturally, the soul of the angel who takes __souls,__ must have a __soulmate__ who can give them back."_

_"When will I see you again?"_

_"You won't.__ Remember your training, your purpose. You mustn't allow anything to interfere __with that. Of this, your __soulmate__ must also understand. Do not allow your feelings to shadow your objective. The risk is too great. Even though there has never been a__n__ instance of two pairs of __soulmates__ incarnated within the same bodies, you must forcibly distance yourself from your __soulmate__ when you find her. A bond would be foolish. None of the evidence is to your favor. Remember what happened to Sarah when the other soul she possessed bonded with its __soulmate."_

_"That was different. And this is **my** __soulmate__. I have to try..."_

_"Do not fool yourself, child. I would have thought that after you saw __her soul__ torn apart the laws of God would have been clear to you. There can be one bond - and only one."_

_"But -" _

_"No! Now you listen! You were there! You saw it with your own eyes. Two bonds can not exist. Save yourself the pain, __Heero__. This is how it must be. Think of all the souls you will be saving. Isn't one soul worth millions?"_

_Heero's__ voice barely carried across the silence. __"Whose soul?__ Mine...or my __soulmate's?"_

,.•´¯•.¸

It didn't matter what he had been told. He still refused to believe it. He couldn't give up, not now. Despite everything, Heero had always held onto that one, faded glimmer of hope. He truly believed that he and Duo were special, unique. Each with another soul, soulmates with the other, never before and none after. If he believed - if he kept believing...

,.•´¯•.¸

I know I'd better stop trying -  
You know that there's no denying -  
I won't show mercy on you now.

I know, should stop believing  
I know, there's no retrieving  
It's over now, what have you done?

What have you done now!

¯•.,,.•´¯

"What do you mean 'What will happen to us'?" Duo said at once, his voice ringing distantly in Heero's ears.

Heero looked down at their interlaced fingers and squeezed. "Do you love me?"

Duo looked at him strucken, his eyes instantly filling with tears. "Yes I love you! Tell me what's happening!"

Heero squeezed his eyes shut as his voice began to waver. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" Duo said, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. "I don't understand. Why are you asking me these things? Heero -!"

Opening his eyes, he stared into the covers. He couldn't look up - couldn't bring himself to look at Duo's tear-streaked face. Because if he did, he didn't know if he could finish what he needed to tell him. "If you love me, _really_ love me, then _please_…. just trust me."

The tone of his soulmate's words, the wavering sound of his voice, the pleading look in his eyes, all made Duo completely and utterly terrified. "Heero -"

Heero shook his head, one hand squeezing Duo's the other twisting the covers tightly. "We give her what she wants and she releases this tortured hold upon humanity. We do this and she gives back the gates of Heaven. Ridding the world of the curse of the vampire, isn't that what we've both been living for all these years? What's more important than that? If soulmates can't be together in Heaven, what's the point in finding each other? What's the point of anything?" Heero finished quietly, letting his eyes wander, unfocused.

"Heero, what aren't you telling me? What happens to _us_?" Heero still wouldn't look at him. "_Tell me, __Heero_!"

Heero's lips trembled in a painful grimace as he forced himself to look at Duo, his blue eyes swimming with tears. "If we love each other nothing will happen to us! If we believe - then _nothing_ will happen!" he declared, his voice echoing with an odd wail. His hand squeezed Duo's tightly. "All we have to do is believe in each other!"

Duo stared at him, all sorts of emotions pulling him a thousand different directions as tears silently began streaming down Heero's pale face. They looked so out of place on his normally stoic face, making Duo feel compelled to reach out and wipe them away. They didn't belong there. Heero didn't cry. And that's what scared Duo the most. Whatever it was that Heero wasn't telling him had to be serious - but what? He need to know, but seeing his soulmate fall apart like this was killing him. Duo needed to calm him down - but how?

"Heero...it's okay." Duo said, cupping Heero's wet cheek in his hand and leaning in, gently pressing their lips together.

Heero tilted his head forward, pressing their foreheads together and unfurling his hands from the covers in a silent surrender. He reached up and cupped Duo's face, a new resolve rising within him, overshadowing all his fears and uncertainties. He would make this work. He would not be torn apart. There was no room for doubt.

"The longer we wait, the harder this is going to be. When we do this I want you to think about me. Don't think about what they are doing. Just focus on me. Do you understand?"

Duo meekly nodded, his throat suddenly dry. "Okay."

Heero leaned in close and whispered across his soulmate's lips. "On me - and only me."

"I'm scared." Duo admitted in a terrified whisper, an unnamed fear settling against his heart. "Why do I feel like I'm about to lose you?"

"Look at me, Duo. You are not about to lose me." Heero declared, his voice full of conviction, "There is nothing to be afraid of. Nothing is going to take you away from me."

Duo looked away, half expecting Shinigami to chime in and ask him what choice did he have, but instead he was met with silence. "How can we trust her? What makes you so certain she'll fix everything once you give up her soulmate? What if she doesn't?"

"She didn't curse humanity, Lucifer did. It never bothered her that humans were the favorite in the eyes of the Lord. Unlike him, she had no interest in the throne of Heaven or rebelling against God, she only wanted to be one with her soulmate. I have no doubt she'll undo what he's done. I think it's the only way she can go back."

"Go back?"

"You forget," Heero said sadly, "She's an angel. Heaven is her home. She's just like us - you, me, everyone. We're all the same. At the end of the day, despite what has or hasn't happened to us - no matter where we've gone or what we've done, after _everything_ -" he looked pleadingly at Duo, hoping he would understand, "we all just want to go home."

"Home –" Duo echoed.

Like a snake in the grass, a sudden realization struck him. It was something he hadn't thought about, something that now filled his heart like a slow poison. Beside Heero, he sat frozen.

,.•´¯•.¸

_"Yours or your __soulmate's? __Don't make me laugh. You should know better, __Heero. __Your fate **is** his fate, __one soul__ – split in half. The terms that apply to us, apply to you as well__. But in your case, whether you __managed to bond with your __soulmate__ and keep that bond __intact__ makes__ no difference. __The __Holy __law is clear__."_

_"__What are you saying__?"_

_"__By the time you enter the Parting Gate, you will most likely have already sacrificed the __Divine Trinity."_

_"I have committed no such unforgivable sin__s__."_

_"Not yet you haven't. But do you really think you'll be able to __keep your hands so clean__ once you side with the vampires?__And even if you do, y__ou are,__ after all, one half of a whole. __Which means your fate not only depends on your actions, but your other half'__s as well. So much depends on the other -__"_

_"You think I don't know that?! __Don'__t__ patronize__ me__, old man -__"_

_"__Listen to yourself! After all the years and all your training, you still understand nothing!"_

_"What's not to __under__stand? You expect me __to sacrifice my whole soul__ without even trying."_

_"You don't get it, do you? This life was never meant to be yours. Your fate was set into motion before you were even aware of your own existence. Even now, it continues to turn, slowly drawing you closer to **her**."_

_"What is this? __You said you needed to tell me something important, not lecture me on useless topics and waste my time on idle conversation.__ I don't have time-"_

_"__You're right. You don't.__ You are still young, but you must understand. __As soon as she chose you__ and your __soulmate__, your destin__ie__s__ became intertwined. She's out there, somewhere, right now, calling out her soulmate, calling out to you. Together, __you are searching, all the while, __blindly running toward all life's inevit__able fate. Once she finds you__, your time will be over. __When that happens, t__here will be only one thing left…__"_

,.•´¯•.¸

Duo's voice was low and soft. "We have to die, don't we?"

Heero looked up. Duo was staring at the covers with a solemn expression. Heero turned and faced him. "No," he said softly, "We have to _live._"

He lifted their intertwined fingers and opened his hand, spreading his fingers and pressing their palms together. "Our skin may be soft, but it is a prison, our blood and bones, nothing more than iron bars. It's not our fate to die, Duo," he said, eyes briming with new tears, "but to live forever – _together_."

Duo couldn't help but smile too. "Together –"

"Give me your other hand."

Duo obeyed, crossing his legs in front of Heero. Lacing both of their hands together, Heero straddled Duo's lap and wrapped his legs around his small waist. He dropped their hands to the side and seized Duo's lips in a passionate kiss. Heero slid his tongue across his soulmate's lips and into his eagerly parted mouth, squeezing their intertwined hands. Duo tried to let go. He wanted to wrap his arms around his soulmate, but Heero prevented him from doing so. Then, it dawned on him.

_'The ritual._'

"Remember, focus on me and _only_ me." Heero reminded him, his gaze fierce and determined.

"I love you." Duo whispered.

"And I love you." Heero whispered back. "Never forget."

There, Duo felt it, a warm sensation traveling upward from their intertwined hands, tingling and electric. It slid up his neck and across his face.

_**'He shall be taken.'**_ Death's sweet voice thrummed musically in his ears. **_'By God's will,__ undone.'_**

He closed his eyes. When he did, he was back in the other white room, the one in his mind. He looked down at his feet without much thought as to why. The connection between the wall, the one binding him to Death, remained, but it was no longer the only one. A new connection had taken place. Beside him, Heero wrapped his arms tightly around him, a golden chain connecting them by their necks. Duo nervously looked left. Through the tinted glass, he saw her, the angel of death, waiting with a smile, as between them, the dividing wall slowly began to crumble.

,.•´¯•.¸

I , I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away...oh  
(What have you done now)  
Why, why does fate make us suffer?

There's a curse between us, between me and you.

¯•.,,.•´¯

Duo felt himself losing control of his body as Shinigami reached for his soul. Inside of his soulmate's embrace, his mind became cloudy and detached. One by one, her thoughts began to bleed into his own, chaotic and confusing. No longer restrained, Death wrapped one arm around him, while she took the other and slowly wrapped her fingers around the binding line around his neck.

_**'...these bonds, must be severed...'**_

_'...Heero...'_

**_'...because...'_**

_'...Heero...'_

_**'...there can be one, and only one..'**_

_'...He-'_

_**'...as is the will of God...'**_

The scene before him faded in and out between the two white rooms until he could no longer distinguish the real world and his own subconsciousness - his memories and hers. Ghost-like images overlaped one another in a dizzying blur. She was touching Heero. He was touching him. She was kissing him. He was kissing him.

Duo tried to focus on Heero, but everytime he did he seemed to lose a little bit of himself in the process. Little by little his memories faded away. Further and further they slipped, until everything he knew, everything he felt, became nothing more than a dulled slate, her prescence now blanketing his like a heavy fog. He was now no little more than a puppet on a string. In a daze he knelt down over Heero, kissing him - no, he wasn't kneeling, it was Shinigami kneeling...

She was the one kissing Heero - only, he wasn't Heero anymore - his body was being used by her soulmate now. Duo could only watch as she used his body to touch and taste his soulmate's body. From behind, he felt his other half tighten his grip on their rejoined soul. He had almost forgot Heero was there with him. Saying "Heero" felt strange. It was a designation that no longer held any meaning. No longer were they two people, separate and alone. They were one soul, the chain between them the undeniable proof of their bond.

"Don't be afraid. They won't tear us apart." he said.

"Tear us apart?"

Heero slid his hand up Duo's chest and gripped the chain linking their necks. "Believe in us."

"I -"

Death's memories slowly began to fill Duo's mind. They blanketed what was happening like a heavy snow. He saw them all through her eyes, felt them through her body, as if they were his own, the tragic chain of events that had lead them both here.

Before him, bright, golden streets shone with the glow of an all encompassing light. A feeling of pure bliss filled his entire body as he looked out over the glowing landscape. Before he could take a single step, the scene before him faded to ash as fire engulfed the serene image. Blood and darkness now stained the once beautiful city and all around, angels were battling against one another, the rouge against the faithful. Duo gripped his scythe and spread his wings, his metal armour gleaming with the blood of traitors, as the war in Heaven raged across the sky. Then there was a great light, and the voice of God shook the city, cracking open the floor of Heaven. Alongside her brothers and sisters, Death watched Lucifer fall from grace alongside a third of Heaven's legions. They were all banished into Hell.

Everything faded again, now he was alone, looking down from his perch on a worn building as his soulmate walked along a crowded street of stone, unaware and alone. Gripping his scythe tightly, he stood and looked up at the quiet, blue sky. Screaming at the Heavens, he reached over and tightly gripped one of his wings, swinging the scythe behind him and drawing it upward in a flash of crimson.

After this, more familiar images flooded his brain: a dark bedroom, her soulmate's smiling face, moonlight and blood soaked sand - things he had seen before in his dreams.

He raced against the sand towards the dark temple. Duo knew what came next and tried desperately to block her memories out, but couldn't. They wouldn't stop. He sobbed and screamed as he cradled her soulmate's blood soaked body against his own. Laying him carefully back down, Duo reached into the folds of his clothes and withdrew a small knife. He looked down at her soulmate's broken body and did the only thing he could. He held out the knife and thrust it into his chest. There was a sharp pain, then only darkness.

He was atop a large hill now, looking out at an endless field of black. Below him, disfigured souls screamed out in horror. There were countless numbers, endless lines, waiting around fiery pits and smoldering caverns, condemned sinners hopelessly awaiting their eternal fate. How many were there because of her selfishness? He placed a hand over her heart. What was this feeling? The pain was so great her entire soul felt like it was screaming out.

"What...have...I..._done_?" he rasped. Duo covered his mouth as he watched soul after soul being casted into the fiery chasms below. The fires of Hell made the air stiffling and unbearable, and through it, Duo could feel her eyes burning with painful, unshed tears.

"God help me..._please_..." he pleaded, sinking to his knees. Her voice wasn't the smooth, seductive tone he knew, it sounded like that of a lost child, alone and scared, quivering in fear. Her guilt clawed at his heart and festered in his soul. He was only dimly aware of the air around him as it grew impossibly cold and eerily still. Soft hands slid on his shoulders as someone knelt down behind him, wrapping him in a comforting embrace. Warm breath ghost across his neck as a voice whispered in his ear, silky and sinisterly familiar.

"He can not hear thee, sister. Thine voice hast left him." Duo jerked away from him in disgust. Lucifer only smiled.

"Why!" he demanded. "Why hast thou done this, brother?!" A darker smile crossed his lips as the fallen angel looked out over the fields of fire and brimstone. His proud face gleamed in the red glow of hellfire surrounding them both, his once kind features gone, distorted by his own self-righteous arrogance and greed.

"Is this not what you asketh of me?" He raised his hand as the fateful scene displayed in front of them.

Lucifer stood at the gate, his vividly blue eyes hungrily fixed upon the pitiful creature before him. Wisps of dark smoke snaked around her naked frame, but the souls did not touch her, for fear of being drug in. He looked out over them and they turned away, becoming nothing more than shadows in the fog. He looked once more at her. "My dear sister..." he said with a knowing smile. "Why dost thou come before me?"

"I can not go back. So I came to offer thee my soul..." she said darkly, gripping the edge of the archway, cringing at its touch. Her chest rose and fell in angry pants and her violet eyes gleamed with dark intentions.

,.•´¯•.¸

I , I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away ...oh  
(What have you done now)

Why, why does fate make us suffer?  
There's a curse between us, between me and you-

¯•.,,.•´¯

Lucifer looked at her with envious eyes. "What is Hell worth to you?"

"Thou should know, _brother_..." she said, looking up with a wild look in her eyes.

"There are many things I know. And less I do not." He reached out and pulled her forward, leading her into the fiery darkness. He slid an arm around her waist and brushed her long chestnut hair off her shoulder. She made no move to stop him. Her movements were lagging and forced, like she no longer cared to move at all. Nothing matter anymore, nothing except revenge. The feeling rolled off her like water. He pressed his lips against her ear and inhaled her sweet scent, smiling silkily. "Tell me sister, the darkest desire of thine soul..."

Words fell from her lips like acid. "I want to make them suffer - rip their miserable souls from Heaven, just as they ripped my soulmate from me. I want their souls be cursed with disease and death for all eternity. I want them to -" Her words faded and the scene was swallowed up by the flame.

"Disease is a wicked, wicked thing," Lucifer said sweetly, "infectious and hateful, consuming everything in its path like fire."

"It was meant for them! Not the humans! They should not be here!"

"They chose to be here! They chose to kill others, infect others. All under God's infallible plan." he said with a harsh laugh, his dark eyes twinkling with wicked contempt. "Give them free will and let them choose. This judgement upon them is their own, not mine."

"Judgment?" Duo said incredulously. "What _judgment_? Thou hast forsaken God's holy decree. 'Tis violation -"

"Violation..." his thin lips spread into a feral smile, "Then why dost he not act? Hmm? Stop me like he did before. I shall tell thee why. It is because he doth not care. Thou speaks of violation - we art the ones who hath been violated. God no longer bears love for his servants. He loves only these wretched _things_ -" He gestered towards the burning fields, his once silken tone now bitter and bare, "Do you not see, sister? He abandoned you and I long ago."

"Thine song has tired, brother, from being sung long ago, unto our brothers and sisters, foolishly convincing them to take up arms against God. And where did it get them? Thine words held no meaning for me then, and so they hold none for me now. Will thee never let go of thine hatred? Why do you care so much about the humans?"

"The years hath made thee weak, sister." He stepped forward and cupped Duo's cheek, leaning in against his face. Duo snarled and turned away, doing his best to deny him, but none of his will reached his body. What was happening to him _now_ had already happened to her _then_. This was only the memory of the event. She couldn't stop him then, and Duo couldn't stop him now. Not when her soul belong to him. Lucifer leaned in further, pressing his lips against Duo's throat and breathing against his ear. "Dost thou remember? I do..._sister_. A time upon high when thee enjoyed their slaughter - desired it, yearned for it, for it is thine calling.. 'Tis what he made thee for, designed thee for - death and judgment. This is humanity punishment for their crimes against him, thine divine judgment on their worthless souls."

Duo shivered under his touch. "This is not judgment. It is thine own vengeance, brother."

"_'Why should they deserve Heaven and their soulmates?! Why should they have both?' _" he mocked, her voice slipping through his lips instead of his own, "Is that not what you, yourself, asked of him?" Duo looked away, tears burning in his eyes once more. Lucifer smiled against Duo's throat, pulling him close and whispering lower. "Dost thou remember what he said to thee?" Duo's breath hitched in his throat as he looked down at the fallen angel with all the hate he could muster. Lucifer pushed him away and walked to the cliff's jagged edge.

"He gave unto them everything!" Lucifer declared, his voice loud and furious, booming over the dark fields. "He gave them more than he ever gave us! He gave them a choice - they can _choose_ to seek their soulmate, _choose_ whether or not to believe in God, _choose_ to love him or hate him." He spun around and faced him. His face was marred with a mad expression that gleamed sinisterly in the firelight and his eyes were dangerously wide in vexation. "Where was our choice? Ours was the life of servitude and devotion. These wretched things ravage the world with sin and hatred, yet it is they who are promised their soulmates and paradise. Why them and not us? Tell me, sister..."

,.•´¯•.¸

Would you mind if I killed you?  
Would you mind if I tried to?  
Cause you have -

turned into my worst enemy  
You carry hate that I don't feel  
It's over now  
What have you done?

What have you done now!

¯•.,,.•´¯

Death's body was shaking, her anger and fierce sense of loyalty cruely mixing to a uncontrollable boil. "Do not patronize me, _brother_! You never cared about us or thine soulmate! Thou careth only for thineself!"

"All I cared about was God! Unlike you! I existed to serve him and only him. Then he created _them_ and actually asked us to bow at their filthy feet. It was insulting! I would never do such a thing! How could he ask me to bow to any but him? And what did he do for all my loyalty? Cast me out-"

"That's all this is about, is it not? Thine own petty revenge! Thou thinks thou hast won. God shall not get the chance to stop thee because I will! Even if it is the last thing I do!"

"How?" he asked with a wicked smile. "Thine soul belongth to me."

"My soul belongth to God! My _complete_ soul, and thou shalt never have it!"

"And neither shall you."

The smoke of the fiery landscape twisted and spun a misty white. In soft burns of brightness, the colors gradually faded away until all that was left was a seemlingly endless blank plane. He turned and looked behind himself. In the glowing abyss, Shinigami stood quietly, her unmistakable sillouette cast in sharp relief against the blinding white. It was only when she moved forward that Duo noticed how very different she looked now. She moved with a gentle grace, her chestnut hair swaying as she walked. Her pale lips were curved in a sad smile and her bright violet eyes looked upon him not with contempt or hatred, but with silent reverence, a faded reflection of something long lost. Her dark wings were spread at arm's length and her black dress clung to her small frame like a second skin. Duo thought she looked like a dark rose that had finally been plucked of its thorns. And when she spoke, she finally sounded like an angel.

"Duo Maxwell. I ask for thine forgiveness..."

Duo looked at her strangely. Her voice was kind and soft now, carrying a genuine honesty that could not be denied.

"I never wanted to hurt thee. I did not want this for any of you. You want to understand why I chose you, and unto that, I hath no answer. For if I had choosen another, thine fate would be the same. Too long hath the gates lay closed. There is no other way, I must go back and fullfill my duty. Else, thine suffering shall never end."

Duo didn't understand her. It was like she was an entirely different person now. Everything down from her movement and mannerisms. Where was the vindictive person he knew before? Was this another trick? What was she hoping to accomplish? "Why should I believe you? Why didn't you show me this before?" he asked her.

She closed her eyes and looked away. "Because..." she said sadly, "I wanted you to hate me. I thought it would make things easier, but I see now that I was wrong. That is why I hath shown thee my memories. I felt you deserved to know the truth..."

"But you left out a part. How did you escape?"

Her violet eyes wandered the empty surroundings aimlessly. "I do not remember."

"Why?" Duo asked.

"Instead of asking 'why?' thou should be asking 'what happens now?'"

"What _does_ happen now?"

When she looked at him again, she was no longer smiling at all. "You must kill Heero and he, in turn, must kill you."

Duo stared at her in disbelief. He knew they would have to die, but his brain hadn't really had time to consider how. And this was - it was..."You are telling me we have to kill each other?! Why?..."

"Once you hath entered the Parting Gate there is no going back. You can only go forward through the Judgement Gate. It is the only way. But only the soul can pass through this gate, the flesh must be discarded. And no soul may enter Heaven that is not whole."

"Me and Heero are whole!"

"I hath told thee. There can be only one bond. It exists as a law that can never be broken. There is no other way, Duo Maxwell."

"If you tear us apart, then ..." he began, then paused hesitantly, for fear of what the answer would be. But it was a question that desperately needed to be answered. "what will happen to us? Me...and Heero?"

When he looked into her eyes they seemed to shine with unshed tears, and deeper still, a terrifying emotion lay long buried within her soul. "Thou shall be reborn. When, I do not know..."

"What about 'Thou shalt not kill'? Won't we go to Hell for killing each other?"

"The act of taking the life of another is the ultimate sin, yes, but not for soulmates. Heero is the only person you can kill and not go to Hell as consequence."

"Why?"

"This is how God wanted it." she stated simply.

To this, Duo merely sighed in defeat. He couldn't wrap his mind around the facts. He didn't want to. If he did, they would become real. Instead they kept coming - the questions that needed answers. "Will I remember any of this?"

"The experiences of the flesh are carved into the soul each time life is given to it. It is in dreams that the memories of these forgotten lives reach out to us. We are drawn to them in a halo effect. It may take some time, but you will meet him again. And when you do, you will know..."

Knowing there was nothing more she could do to him, Duo drew up the courage to ask the one real question he wanted to ask. "I wanna ask you one more thing..." he felt obligated to pause, waiting for her permission. She nodded and he continued. "Why did you do it? You're an _angel_. I don't understand, I mean, if this is really all there is - live, be good to others, try to find your soulmate, and hope you go to Heaven when you die, then why weren't you happy there? Why did you do this?"

"You don't know how cruel you are being," she said. Her voice was kind and soft, and held much sadness. "Our souls, they are the same. But for us angels, our love is incomplete. Without our soulmate, we are only half. My brothers and sisters felt this to be enough, but I could not accept that. Always, I felt empty inside. I always asked myself 'Why would God make me feel that way?'. For the longest time, I thought that maybe this was a test for us or maybe a price that was paid because we were admitted to Heaven without judgment. I could not go on without knowing. Even if I failed, I had to try. Why would he not also want us to be whole? To love him with our whole soul? I do not think you can truly understand..."

Duo smiled sadly, thinking of all the people he had ever cared about, the strength the love he felt for them had given him. Perhaps it wasn't the same, but it was a start. "I think I can." he said.

"Then perhaps, we are not so different after all. Yet, there is one difference to be appreciated. Angels do not possess the ability to force humans to act. We can only guide you. Once we are done talking, the bond between us will be severed. After that, I can not stop you from breaking the bond between my soulmate and I, and in turn, remaking thine own. Nor can I force thee to kill or not kill anyone. I can only ask you to do what you think is right. To do what you _believe_ is right. Whatever it may be..."

Duo looked away, only to realize that she was now inches in front of him. She reached out and wrapped her arms and wings around him in a feathery embrace. He stared over her shoulder, unable to move, listening to her haunting final words as they were whispered in his ear. "I love you...Farewell."

He reached up to wrap his arms around her but they brushed only air, as before him, she began to fade, like grains of sand into the wind. Then, slowly, everything came back into focus. He looked at the scene before him. Closing his eyes did nothing to shut the images of Shinigami and her soulmate out. He watched her touch him, taste him. Intangible images flowed back and forth, taunting his soul. Heero pressed further against him as Duo watched Shinigami push her soulmate into the bed, kissing his mouth and gently parting his legs.

"Hold onto me." Heero said.

,.•´¯•.¸

I , I've been waiting for someone like you

But now you are slipping away...oh  
(What have you done now)  
Why, why does fate make us suffer?

There's a curse between us, between me and you

What have you done! What have you done!  
What have you done! What have you done!  
What have you done now!

¯•.,,.•´¯

He knew he had to, otherwise it would never end - the pain, the suffering. He turned and faced his other half, throwing his arms around his soulmate in a desperate embrace.

"I'm sorry!" he muttered incoherently. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

"Duo!"

Shinigami leaned over her soulmate and pushed. A searing pain sliced across Duo's neck as the chain between him and Heero turned a hot, viscous red. Duo looked up at Heero with wide, fearful eyes.

Heero tightened his grip around Duo's shoulders. "Focus on me! On _me_, Duo!"

,.•´¯•.¸

I will not fall, won't let it go  
We will be free when it ends

¯•.,,.•´¯

The chain shook violently and seemed to screech in pain, a hollow sound that clawed through Duo's ears. The binding metal gleamed sinisterly bright, burning their necks. Death reached for Heero as a pair of great white wings flew from his back and her soulmate was torn away from Heero's half of their soul. When they separated, the chain gave one final wail and broke, falling to their feet in a pile of torn and useless metal.

"No!" Heero yelled, falling to the floor in disbelief, picking up the twisted links in his hand. "This wasn't suppose to happen. It wasn't suppose to happen..." Duo dropped to his knees and threw his arms around his soulmate. There was another screeching sound and Duo looked down at his ankle in pain. At the same time, the same thing was happening to Heero, because he too made a move towards his ankle and the chain between him and the other. Another sharp pain and the chain binding him to Shinigami wailed and shook in a final act of desperation, then fell to the ground in the same way the other had. He looked up at her in tears. Her expression was filled with much pain and sadness, like a mother looking at orphans. Her soulmate was beside her now, looking at them in the same pitiful way, a golden chain now binding them together. Duo looked away. He couldn't look at them. It was too excruciating.

_'You must do what you believe is right...'_

Opening his eyes, Duo found himself back in his own body, leaning over Heero. Slowly, Heero's eyes filled with tears as he looked up at him with the most broken expression. The mask of the cool and calculated warrior lay discarded and broken. There was no reason left to pretend anymore.

Duo collapsed on top of him, the sweaty smell of sex still thick in the air around them. "Heero...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I couldn't - we couldn't - " he sobbed, straining to get his words out.

Heero too was crying, wrapping his arms around Duo and refusing to let go. It was like awakening from a horrible nightmare only to find that it was real and wouldn't go away. But Duo knew there was one way to end it.

"I have to ask you to do something," Duo said, his voice strange and empty, "and I don't know how."

Heero slowly loosened his grip and fell back, his soulmate's words taking a long time to reach his ears.

Duo pushed himself up. "You asked me to trust you, to believe in you. Now, I'm asking you to do the same thing."

Heero let his arms fall away. His voice was low and defeated, hollow and lost. "You're about to ask me to kill you."

Duo looked at Heero with a strange detachment. "How did you know that?"

Heero looked away. "Because, it is the only way to release our souls for them right now and not go to Hell. And she must have told you that. Am I right?"

"You knew this..." Duo said. "You knew and didn't tell me..."

"Please, Duo," he pleaded for understanding, "don't look at me like that. Yes. I knew that one day it might come to this. And I prayed that it wouldn't. Everyday, I prayed this day would never come." He forced a painful smile. "But it looks like God wasn't listening."

An awkward silence stretched out between them. Duo uncomfortably eyed his scythes from their scattered place on the floor, morbidly wondering if they would be soon pierce his heart by his soulmate's hand. It was there, in that forgotten place, that his thoughts lingered. Unable to stop them, different bloody scenarios began playing out in his head. He pushed himself off Heero and moved to the edge of the bed. "How do we -" Duo trailed off, dreading Heero's answer.

"Leave that to me." Heero said quietly.

"Leave it to you?" Duo turned and looked at him like he was crazy. "I have to kill you, Heero! How can I leave it to you?"

"Shhh..." Heero whispered eerily. "Close your eyes."

Duo sighed and uneasily obeyed. Behind him, he felt the mattress shift and become lighter. He heard a small, strange sound then felt Heero stop in from of him. His heart was beating wildly. How were they going to do this? It couldn't be too quick. One had to survive long enough to kill the other.

"First, drink this. It will help you relax." Heero said, pressing something cold against his lips. Duo nervously did as he was told. The mystery beverage had a strange, sweet flavor that the hunter couldn't quite place, something not quite familiar, but not entirely foreign. He couldn't remember where he might have had it before. It was a silly thing to think about, considering what lay ahead.

"Open your eyes." As soon as he did, Heero pushed Duo backwards onto the bed. Before Duo could react, he had straddled over him and slid his arms around his back, rolling him over and pulling him on top. "Kiss me." he said roughly.

"What?" It seemed like a strange thing to do before you killed someone. But more than that, it was a heated request that lead down a dangerous road, one from which there would be no going back. If they got too carried away they ran the risk of tearing Death and her soulmate apart. And if that happened, there would be no taking it back. Their bond with Duo and Heero had already been severed. They wouldn't get a second chance. This was it.

"I said kiss me." Duo licked his lips and leaned down, careful and cautious. Heero looked so cute with his flushed cheeks and kiss swollen lips. Slowly, Duo pressed his lips against Heero's, the action feeling comfortable and familiar. Heero ran his hands against Duo's back, parting his lips in an inviting way. The sweet aftertaste of the drink was still fresh in his mouth as Duo slid his tongue against Heero's. The twin pleasures mixed lethargically between their mouths.

_'Tastes so good...'_ he thought with a smile.

But try as he might, Duo couldn't enjoy himself. Bloody images kept invading his mind. While other, more dangerous things, rose slowly in his heart. He pulled away from Heero and clutched him tightly, bowing his head. "I don't think I can do this, Heero."

"Shhh..." Heero whispered quietly, touching his cheek. "You already have."

Duo's eyes widened and he looked at Heero in confusion. "What?"

,.•´¯•.¸

I , I've been waiting for someone like you

But now you are slipping away...oh  
(What have you done now)  
Why, why does fate make us suffer?

There's a curse between us, between me and you

¯•.,,.•´¯

"Poison, Duo."

Duo stared at Heero, mostly in shock, but partly in fear. There was no going back now.

He should have felt angry, for not being told, but his heart couldn't force the emotion out. He felt only the quiet calm of resolution. "How..." Duo rasped, trying to find his voice, "how much time? Til we..."

"Not long." he replied softly.

Such a strange feeling it was, knowing he was about to die. But yet, a comforting one, to know that there was something beyond just _this_. That there was something to actually look forward to after we die, maybe not this day, but _one_ day, _some_ day...

And he took even greater comfort in the fact that he would have someone to share it with.

"No matter how long it takes...or how many times...I promise...I will find you again." Heero said, wrapping his arms around Duo and pulling him close.

Duo smiled and closed his eyes, feeling himself growing sleepy, the final effects of the poison finally setting in. "I know you will." he whispered.

Wrapped together in each other's arms, the two fell silent. While across the room, the large gate swung slowly open. And through it, for the first time in over four thousands years, four souls passed through.

,.•´¯•.¸

Quatre stared across the room, the phone's receiver almost sliding through his sweating hand, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. Slowly, he sank into his chair. "I'm sorry. Can you say that again?"

"It's been confirmed. Reports are coming in from all over. First from China, then from Russia..."

"Do we know what caused this?"

"Not yet, sir. Reports are still coming in. This call is only to tell you to gather your clan for an emergency announcement through the interlink satellite. The Grand Master will be addressing the entire Order within the hour."

"Very well. Thank you."

He slowly reached for the phone, shakily placing the receiver on the hook. His pale hand lingered as his eyes found the button for the paging system. He cleared his throat and pressed it. The tiny speaker sparked to life. "Attention all personnel. This Quatre. There is to be an emergency announcement broadcast through the interlink. Please wake all sleeping personnel. Everyone is to meet in the satellite room in the next thirty minutes. Again. An emergency announcement is about to take place. Please wake all personnel and proceed to the satellite room immediately. Thank you."

As he released the call button, the golden doors to his office creaked open and Trowa came walking in, a skeptical expression on his face. "Is it true, Quatre? What they are saying?"

"What did you hear?"

"They are saying the vampires have reverted back - that they are no longer cursed."

Quatre gave a weary smile. "Yes, Trowa. Apparently, it's true."

"Did they tell you how it happened?"

With a slightly less weathered smile curling his lips, Quatre briefly closed his eyes, his thoughts lingering on two familiar faces. Pushing his chair back, he stood and crossed the room. "No, they didn't...but I have a good idea."

,.•´¯•.¸

All around the world, hunters and mages poured into the various rooms, all crowding around the same, familiar standby image until finally there was a discharge of static and the image was replaced by the little-seen face of the head of the Council, the Order of Phytoran's Grand Master. Hundreds of thousands fell silent.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am sure by now most of you know what I am about to say. So first, I would like to take a moment to honor all the those people who have lost their lives while in the service of this society. Tonight, their sacrifices are naught in vain, but in celebration of a long fought victory. For over four thousand years, our ancestors have dreamed of this moment, but were sadly unable to see its fruition. Long has the curse of the vampire poisoned the blood of humanity, but no more. Tonight we celebrate freedom! And tomorrow, the sun shall rise on a new day. Join me, my fellow comrades in -"

,.•´¯•.¸

The air was quiet and calm. The fading night sky was turning a pale orange along the horizon, signaling the coming dawn. Alone, a pale figure stood waiting on a large, sandy dune. Smiling, he closed his eyes and breathed in the crisp morning air. He had waited so long for this day. And now it was here.

"Hello, brother," replied a familiar voice.

Time stood still as he slowly looked up, eyes taking in the pale figure in front of him.

"I knew you would come." he said.

Shinigami said nothing, her violet eyes looking past his flesh to the desolant image of his rotted soul.

"..." He looked at the horizon in longing. It was a dull pink now, but not quite time... "Have you come to claim my soul before I get a chance to view the sunrise?"

The angel of death smiled upon him. "No," was her sad reply.

"Then tell me, sister...why have you come?"

"You alone, remain. Thine flesh may be healed, but thine soul remains unchanged. I can not undo what I hath done."

Trieze smiled in amusement. "You sound displeased. Is that not how you wanted it?"

She turned away from him and gazed at the approaching sunset. "Yes... it was...upon a time..."

"For four millennia I've been trapped in this place, away from God. For four thousand years I have suffered. Where was your suffering, sister? Why do you get to once again stand by his side? After all you've done, after all the suffering you've put everyone though?"

"None of us are without sacrifice. For what we want most - there is always a price we must pay."

"And what about you? What price did you pay?"

At first she said nothing. She only looked sadly at the orange-rimmed horizon. "It is time, brother. Time to let go of thine hate. If thou continues to hold on to it, it will only bring thee more pain."

"I have tried, but I haven't the strength to hate you anymore. If you have not come for my soul, then why have you come?"

"To help thee save thineself."

"I am beyond _saving_."

"No one is beyond saving."

"What more does God want from me?"

"He wants you to save them."

"Save who?"

"The humans. One day they shall leave this world and take to the stars in search of peace. There they shall live, ever slowly spreading the distance between their souls. When that time comes they will be faced with a great darkness. They shall then look to a strong leader to rise up and guide them away from that darkness. And when that day comes, they shall look to you, brother. You, and you alone, can save them, and in turn, save thineself."

"I will be dead long before that day comes."

With a beautiful grace, she glided forward and touched his face, pulling him into her arms. He stared over her shoulder, through her wings, as the edge of the sun finally grazed the distant edge, bathing the cold sand in its warm light. A single tear slid down his pale cheek as his sister's sweet voice whispered in his ear. "No, thou shall not. Thine flesh shall not give in, until thou soul can be saved. 'Tis my final gift to thee."

Filled with tears, his eyes fell unexpectedly on Lady Une. Quietly she stood in the distance, watching them with a heavy heart. "But not her. She will die, won't she?"

Death turned and looked at Une, a sad smile curving her lips. "Yes. She will die. But when the time comes, she shall be reborn. By saving the humans, you shall be saving her, and in turn, saving thineself. I pray we meet again. Good bye, brother."

He stood back as she turned and spread her wings, then flew upward into the Heavens, leaving behind a single black feather on the bright orange sand below. He picked it up and smiled. Today, for the first time in a long time, he was one step closer. Clutching the feather in his hand, he smiled and walked into the distance, slowly, towards the future.

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

Don't hate me yet – read the epilogue.

Thanks for reading and remember to review! -Points to review button- Thank ye!


	16. Epilogue: Rebirth

_**Author's Note: **If you are clicking on this link from an email update, make sure you read chapter 15 first. This was a double update. _

_**"Fractured Souls"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸._Rebirth_.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_500 years later... _

_After Colony year 189 _

It was a day like every other day for the small, lanky boy walking along the cracked, deserted sidewalk below. They were all the same. The pale child let out a bored sigh and kicked a loose piece of concrete out of his path while a quiet, generated breeze swept teasingly across the newly transplanted grass scarcely lining the narrow area between the walkway and the road. While above, various machine clicked and whirred, going about their everyday routines, blending in perfectly with the illuminated ceiling. He hated them. Most people didn't notice them anymore, but he did. Clutching a small bouquet of hand-picked flowers in his hand, he continued on his way, listening to their faded noise. Always, they reminded him of where he was - trapped, in nothing more than a fancy cage.

It had been almost two hundred years since humanity had came to space, searching for a better life, a more peaceful life, away from the constant horrors of war, disease and natural disasters. They thought by leaving the Earth they could leave those things behind.

They were wrong.

War, much like life itself, simply would not be contained. Soon, it spread to the stars, dragging the colonies into the crossfire. After the assassination of the colony's sole voice of peace, colony citizens found themselves trapped within their child-like ideals. War shook their metal cages like a great beast. Little by little, it clawed away at both the people and their precious resources. And there they stood, defenseless and alone, with nowhere to turn. Just like him...

Finally reaching his destination, the boy came to a stop in front of a crumbling wall surrounded by a pile of aging rubble. It was all that remained of Maxwell Church, the only place he had ever been able to call home. Leaving the sidewalk, he ventured into the overgrown debris where he bent down over a large rock. He ran his thumb across the small, scribbled engraving, a painful smile spreading across his lips.

In Memory of

Father Maxwell

&

Sister Helen

"The Maxwell Church Tragedy"

A.C. 187

It had been two years ago today since they had lost their lives. War had taken them, in a single act of desperate violence. Now he had no one and nothing. All that remained was his festering guilt. He often times wondered if he had done something different would things had still turned out the way they did. Would they still be alive? Would they still be a family? Would they be following him now, instead of him walking alone?

No.

They couldn't. The only thing that followed Duo Maxwell was _death_.

Forcing a smile, he gently laid the wilting flowers beside the cracked stone and stood up. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he turned and headed back down the sidewalk. Towards nowhere in particular, Duo walked slowly down the graying concrete. He walked for almost a hour without meeting anyone. He slowed his pace even further as he approached the colony's lone playground. It was empty as usual. Worn by years of wear, the painted metal shone dully under the artificial light. What use to be a happy spot for kids to come and play had turned into nothing more than a graveyard. Duo couldn't remember the last time he had seen another child. News had spread fast when science failed to find a way to counteract the infertility space had brought upon humanity. No one who wanted children lived in space anymore.

Duo pulled open the small gate and walked across the patchy grass. Grabbing the creaking chains, he sunk into one of the swings, digging his feet idly into the imported dirt. Oh, how he longed to step foot on Earth someday, breath in its warm air and swim in its cool waters. It was a dream that was sometimes the only thing that kept him looking forward to tomorrow. For Duo, tomorrow always held the possibility that he would maybe find some money, board a shuttle, and never look back.

He kicked the dirt and let out another weary sigh. Out of the corner of his eye, a small movement caught his attention, a child about his age, walking by himself. Quietly, as if fascinated by some strange, new phenomenon, Duo watched the other boy cross the road and make his way closer. The closer he got, the faster Duo's heart began to beat. Slowly, an unexplained excitement began pouring through his veins. It had been so long since he had seen another.

The boy seemed to take no notice of Duo. He opened the gate, made his way to the farthest corner of the playground, took a seat on the edge of the merry-go-round and stared off into the empty street. Behind him, Duo's hands had gone cold with excitement. The boy looked to be about his age, maybe a little older. He had wild, dark brown hair and a small muscular build. He looked like he was much better off than Duo was. His clothes were nice and neat, unlike Duo's, who's were worn and several sizes too big. The way the newcomer walked was different too. Duo knew he couldn't be an orphan. He looked too care for and proper. He really wanted to go say hi, but was scared at how the boy might treat him.

Most people ignored Duo, or worse, pretended he didn't exist at all when they saw him. But something, he didn't know what, told him that this boy was different. He decided it was worth a shot. With a nervous twist in his stomach, he pushed himself out of the swing and began walking over. He carefully approached the boy, trying to think of different greetings he could give him. Duo stepped just within his sight and followed his gaze out into the street.

"Hey," he said in the coolest voice he could make, "What are you looking at?"

The boy didn't turn and look at him, he just continued staring. "I'm waiting."

"Oh." Duo said, rubbing the back of his neck, giving the boy a lopsided grin. "Looks pretty boring if you ask me."

Duo glanced up the the colony's artificial sky as it started to lose its luminescence, signaling the beginning of the colony's "night cycle". Surely this boy's parents would want him home soon. Duo leaned over the fence, continuing to watch the boy out of the corner of his eye. "So..." he tried again, turning and looking at him once more, "are you waiting on your parents to come pick you up?"

"No." the boy said shortly. "I'm waiting on my flight."

"Wow!" Duo exclaimed, all manner of pseudo-coolness lost, "Man, are you lucky! I wish I had a ticket for a shuttle. Where are you going?"

Finally, the boy turned and looked at him, as if slowly realizing he was there. "Who are you?" he asked flatly.

A little taken aback, Duo chuckled and walked forward, extending his hand to the boy. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he said. "My name is Duo."

The next thing he knew, Duo was pinned to the ground with a gun to his head. "Who sent you?" the boy asked.

Duo shallowed hard, very aware of the shiny cold metal pressed against his temple. "Who sent me? What do you mean? No one _sent_ me!"

The boy pressed himself harder against Duo, giving the gun a little twist. He leaned in close to his face, carefully searching his eyes. Duo found himself unable to look away. His gaze fell to the boy's lips and he felt himself begin to blush. He was pressed so close against him. "I will ask you again -" the boy said in a low, dangerous tone, "Who sent you?"

"No one!" Duo insisted, trying to twist his hands out of the boy's firm grasp. "Now let me up! What's wrong with you?!"

The boy tightened his hold on Duo's wrists, refusing to remove the gun. Duo buckled his hips upward and struggled against the boy, but to no avail. His attacker held him firm, while searching his face in a peculiar manner. Duo resolved to laying still beneath him. The boy seemed to be trying to figure something out. Something seemed to click, because the boy suddenly went a little lax in his grip and his eyes softened just slightly. Carefully, he withdrew his gun and laid it on the grass beside Duo's face, then did something Duo didn't expect. The boy touched him on the cheek. Duo lay shock still, a growing warmth spreading across his cheeks beneath the boy's fingers. "Do I know you?" the boy asked him. "I feel like I've seen you before."

Duo looked at him with wide blue-violet eyes, unsure of what to say. He was quite sure he had never seen the boy before in his life, but something was definitely different about him. "I..." Duo began, strange feelings fluttering within his chest, "I don't think so. I think I'd remember you."

The boy looked at Duo curiously. "Why do you say that?"

"Because," Duo muttered. "You're- you're-" Duo looked away. He couldn't look at him. It was too embarrassing.

"I'm what?" the boy asked.

Duo chanced a look back at him. "You're, well...you're cute."

The boy looked up, back towards the street. It was empty. Only a few lights shone brightly through the windows of the nearby buildings. The artificial sky was much darker now. It was nearly night. Thoughtfully, he looked back down at Duo. Duo swallowed the dry lump in his throat as the boy leaned back over him. "You're cute too." he said.

Duo's breath hitched in a confused, excited panic. Never in a million years did he imagine his day would end like this: being pinned to the ground, at one point by gun point, by a boy he didn't know then being called "cute" by said boy. The boy looked like he wanted to smile, but he didn't. He continued to touch Duo. He was so close. Duo didn't know what he should do.

Was the boy going to kiss him? Did he want him to? Duo had never thought much about such things. This was all new to him. Still, he found himself moistening his lips with the tip of his tongue and looking up at the boy expectantly.

The boy loosened his hand against Duo's wrists, letting him go. But Duo didn't dare move. Slowly, the boy moved his hand flat on the ground beside Duo's head and leaned down. Duo closed his eyes. For a moment that seemed like an eternity, their lips met in a soft kiss. Duo gently moved his mouth, unsure if what he was doing was correct. Something strange and familiar stirred in the back of Duo's mind.

Across the street the clock tower began to chime.

The boy quickly broke away and looked up at the time. He pushed himself off Duo and reached for his gun. "I'm sorry," he said in a rush. "but I've got to go."

Without a backwards glance he broke off into a run, leaving Duo staring at his retreating back in disbelief from his disheaved ground level position. "Wait!" Duo shouted desperately. "What's your name?"

The boy rounded the corner and started off down the street towards the shuttle bay. He turned and looked back at Duo, giving him a small smile. "Heero!" he shouted. His voice echoing along the nearby alleyway as he rounded the next corner and disappeared into the night.

_'Heero.' _ Duo thought with a smile. He reached up and touched his lips. _'His name is Heero.'_

Across the metal skyline, dark blue faded to black, while in the distance, a pale winged figure smiled at the scene below.

(¯·.¸ .•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸.•´¯•.¸,.:¯)

I always knew that Heero and Duo would die in the end, but I also always knew that they would see each other again. I know some of you are asking, "Well, what about Quatre and Trowa? She kind of just left them there," and others are saying, "What kind of ending is _this_?". Well, the truth is I orginaly designed this story to have side stories and maybe a whole other After Colony arc, but sadly, as of late, I've fallen out of love with Heero and Duo. I may still do Quatre and Trowa's side story, I don't know. But right now, I'm taking some time off. If anyone loves Kingdom Hearts I'll be doing a fic on that next. Riku x Sora! (They are my new favorite couple) But don't expect it any time soon. I appreciate everyone that has ever reviewed and all those who have been with this story to the end. It means so much. Thank you.


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